LIVELY PROCEEDINGS AT MAORI HILL.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 11659, 16 February 1900, Page 7

LIVELY PROCEEDINGS AT MAORI HILL.

The attention of Mr C. C. Graham, S.M., ■was occupied the whole of yesterday afternoon in listening to charges and counter charges laid by several of the residents of Maori Hill against each other. Michael Coughlin'and John M'Lennan were charged with assaulting Florence Goodwin; Michael Coughlin, Duncan1 M'Lennan, and. Mrs Michael Coughlin with assaulting Fanny Goodwin; and Thomas Goodwin and Edward Faulds with assaulting Michael Coughlin and Ellen Coughlin, at Maori Hill, on the 80th January.: Mr Hanlon appeared for the'Goodwins and Fanlds, Mid Mr W". C. MacGregor for the remainder of the parties concerned.

Mr Hanlon did not propose to take up Hie time of the court opening with the facts, as there-would be o. great deal of contradictory statement. He thought he would be able' to show that Mrs Goodwin was so badly assaulted that she was rendered, ill, and had to call in a doctor, who found that her ribs had1 been so braised by kicking that some <had been started, and it wrs the merest chance that some were hot broken. It oould not be looked upon us a neighbour's quarrel, because in such cases there was only abuse, but there had been a most violent belabouring of. Mrs Goodwin. It was only through Mr Faulds coming to hor assistance that- she 'Was not more^ damaged. An information had been laid against Mr Fauldß/ why, counsel did not know. He would toll the:-court he interfered to protect the woman from further assault. ' ;

• Fanny: Goodwin ' deposed that she was the ■wife of Thomas Goodwin, and lived at Maori. Hill. She went across to a paddock '.about 9 o'clock inthe evening with her boy and another boy named" Joseph Moran, to put the cows in the paddock. There were also two little girl a present. On the way back, coining across the gully, Michael Coughlin came out, and asked if witness had ordered his children off the load. Witness replied no; that she had not seen them. He struck witness in the face with his ■ fist;- : then lie took a stick that the boys tised for playing golf, and knocked her about" the head: and body with it. : "Witness just reached the corner, runn in? away, when he knocked'her down again with the same stick. By, that time his wife hud arrived, and she kept witness down, and pulled her hair." Then Duncan ;M'Lennnn came and asked who was' knocked down. CoilgliHn called out. "Mrs Goodwin,"and lie,(M'Lennan) said, " Kill the h—;•." Then ho came and kicked witness in the side, while she was down. Joe Moran, the boy, went to fetch witness's husband. Witness's: daughter Florence was the first to come, .and; while she.Was coming Jno. M'Lennan caught her by the throat. He had come un tffore that. .Witness was still on the ground. Hr Faulds came and-knocked Duncan M'Lennao off witness. M'Lennan had hold of witness's hands and arms, and was kicking )iei\ Faulds hit: M'Lttman1 with a stick he had. M'Lennan-then struck Faulds with bis fist, and.gjwe him a black 'eye. Witness's husband then came, and took witness'frbm under Couch.-' Jin and his wife, and. carried' her home. Witness could neither stand nor1 speak. Before this witness oould < not scream, because Coughlin held'her by the neck, arid Mrs. Coughlin by thehftir of the head. \Dr Macpherson was sent for just after the affair happened, and came next morning to Maori Hill, paying two visits. Witness gave no provocation whatever. She' 'never interfered witti'the children."'

To'Mr MacGregor :>Never bbw : Coughlin's children that evening. If his little, girl said shs,had,struck .her, -she would be tolling ah untrutlu' Was not aware that she -was .known as..'.' theterrorof Maori Hill." -Did Wt.know that the'residents,of the district had that day signed a/ lound robin asking that she might be bound,over',toVkeep the peace. 'Did,not, strike, Coughlin 'first with a stick. Coughlin knocked down a dividing- fence once, and. had shown spite ever since. l Had caught Duncan. ll'Lennan' skaliriE;. wood from'her,;place.. Had spoken to him about takirtg cows away' from her.-bby. .'Always carried round a,stick for her CattlS.. ■'..', :, ; ' ■'■■■- -. '■'■ ;.' . ■ ';, '■

Mr MacGregor: And your neighbours?— Witness:. N0;,.,; ', -1 ;"■■•. ",' .<t ,'•

ifriMaoGregor: Tort use iton'yoiir-htisbaricl sometimes.—No. ' ■ V './'■'. . Ditl your ctauehter bring the fire shovel when she/came.on the -scene?—STo; my husband brought s the. iire shovel; When, ray. daughter cavnoCoughlip 'stnick her ovey the face~,with n hpavy:'stick. .John': MTiennan only caught my daughter by the. throat. .'■'■ ■■■ •■'■ That: ,ifj ■nothing.unusual, in Maori Hill! Is. n fire shovel the usual thing they use in Maori Hill?-^In case of murder you have to use'v/hat you'can .'got. ..:■.'• : ■ ".;.'.■ Would, ybwbe surprised'ta learn that Coughlin"and Mrs CougWin. wer.e cut on tho^lieads ,by a. fife .shovel, and were'compelled to jgo "to thef hospital.?—l did not know'■it. \ ■■'.', ' '.." yp ur;nuabandiknocl?ecl them both off >vjth r tbo^fire'ighovel?—Aa wellas he' c0u1d....; . ,:'i v -Does not a flro shovel mako'rather d'noise Tyhou. applied to the head?—l! don't know.'1 , . You .'prefer a club: with a wooden kiiob on tho.head?—Tes.': U; :;. -.<■ ■ . , : ■' . Elorence- Goodwin said John M'Uennan caugnt'licr by'^h'e;throat, andiCoughlin struck her.inrihe faoe .with f a stick. 'When it' was-said-that Goodwin was coming, Duncan M'Leri-' no!n-ran away. -Witness saw Coughliri and his wife interfere -with her- mother, and saw Duncan'M'Lennan ■ run; away. f She' saw the affray • ■between'the'latter: and Faulds. '■" ; ■ ' Mr-MaoGregbr;-; Did you have'the poker?V Üb. .;.!■ - = ..-..■.' ■ '.■•■■ ■:>:>': -.'■■• ■'.■•■•■ •■■ ■■ ■••!'■ -. ' :-.y?ho hacl:;the pokk?—Mr Faulds:had the' pt>kor.t^ m^.'J ■. r.. ■: -<v:\>r .:-'\ ■■-•'.. '.'■■-'■' u'--<y DrMacpheraon'stated that he BawMra.Gbodwin on the.morning of- the 31st January,'and found her. in a ;nervouß condition^" Sho;said that, the left side of the "abdomen was painful.i and rcomplainecl:;of::tenderness-'over' the ninth and tenth ; ribs. , Xh« ninth,,was. not broken, but seemed 'movable, under ipress.ure. There' was: an abrasion of' the right ( aide, and. the tight eye waa blarck.' .Witness also testified ". to therE"b'eing a! number of smaller rin-, juries, the whole indicating that; Mrs'Goodwin had.',been'knocked'aboiit a good' deal. ■Witness' examined' Miss; Goodwin !' also.. Her;) injuries' were1 trifling.! l».\U:; -J'-';■■■'■ "'ll!- '•'■■'■'■ ■'■ ■'■■•■■' '. Thonias. Goodwin next''gave'evideiice.: ' ' , Mr iMacGregor: Did anyone ' interfere with you7.-r.No.: i) ■•,'■ .'»■'■ '.■•' : /"■■'' ' '■■■" :-' ■ ■' " ~~¥q\v seem to: have had. a ' good time- of it. You dropped two people'with a fire-shovel; and' got off yourself.—l Was once attacked before at'.Mn,pri,Hill,,and,it put rue,on the watch.' . ' It was' ihe "experience . you gained ..in the previous Assault case, that made you so successful this time..',' ', j ; ~, .;. ■. . :

'.' iPurth'er' ejcariiine'd' by Mr MacGregor, witnesa'said the^reasons, people had any feeling against'-'him' was1 not1 that they did notplike' hiiri. It was.hiaco'wa the neighbours diet not lifce.->>i -..'r.-'i = "■=.:'--.'"-"-" :",' '.. .-. '• "

At this stage'the case was adjourned to Motf day .next,- at '2 o'clock: 7 " ' • '