CHARGE OF ASSAULT.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 15706, 7 March 1913, Page 5

CHARGE OF ASSAULT.

FRACTURE OF BASE OF, SKULL, (Fnou Odb' Own Cokbkspondent.) WELLINGTON, March 6. Fitzgerald Clark, a negro, was arrested to-day by Constable Melville on a charge of assaulting and causing grievous bodily harm to Edward Doherty in Upper Willis street. The constable states that, acting on instructions, he proceeded 4o Dr M'Gavin's and there found Doherty in an unconscious condition, with Dr M'Gavin attending him. The accused Clark was present along with Patrick Doherty, the injured man's brother. From what the doctor said and inquiries made the constable arrested Clark on the charge mentioned, in reply to which Clark stated that Doherty had used insulting words to him, but he (Clark) did not mean to cause any " grievous bodily harm." Doherty ma taken from Dr M'Gavin's to the hospital, and up to a late hour had not recovered consciousness.

Patrick Doherty, brother of the injured man, who said h-e came from Hastings on March 1 and now' resided at Brooklyn, made a statement to the effect that he had met his brother about 1.30 p.m. and Irad visited two hotels, having a drink in each of them. When he met his brother he would say that he (the brother) had had a couple of drinks but was sober. About 4.40 p.m. they were both going up Upper Willis street to see a friend. His brother had sakl " Good afternoon" to the accused Clark as they passed. Clark then called his brother aside and had a few words, but he did not catch the tenor of their conversation. Tho next thing that he saw was Clark strike his . brother twieo. The first blow was a light one but the second knocked his brother down. Doherty had not lifted his hands in selfdefence. After his brother went down he did not move. The accused and himself carried him to one doctor's place (Dr Gilmer's), but as he. was not in they took him' to Dr M'Gavin's. After Clark called his brother aside it was evident that they were quarreling about something, and seeing that there was likely to tie a fight he got between Jiis brother and the accused, who then stepped to one side and hit his brother. He was unable to say what the cause of the trouble was. Dr M'Gavin said that the man was suffering from a fracture of the base of the skull. When he was brought into the room the man wis bleeding from two small; wounds or) the outer end of the left eye-l brow. Edward Doherty is a married man/