CITY POLICE COURT

Otago Daily Times, Issue 16538, 11 November 1915, Page 3

CITY POLICE COURT

Wednesday, Novbmbkh 10. (Before Mr 11. Y. Widdowson, S.M.) Drunkenness.—Mauricc Mannheim, who had been four times previously convicted within the past six months, was sentenced to 14 days' imprisonment for drunkenness. Breach of Prohibition Order. —John Lister was fined 20s, with costs (7s), for entering licensed premises during the currency of a prohibition order. Supplying Fire-arms. —Allen Weir pleaded guilty to supplying a juvenile with a pea rifle, and was lined ss. Alleged Assault. —Henry Leslie Anderson and Alexander M'Gregor M'Gavin were charged that on October 8 they did assault Arthur Herbert Eden, wherefore the complainant desired to havo them bound over to keep tho peace. —Mr Scurr prosecuted, and Mr Irwin defended. —Arthur Herbert Eden stated that ho was a resident of Timaru usually. lie did not know either of tho accused. He knew Anderson five months ago. He was having a drink in the Criterion Hotel during Winter Show week, when Anderson came up and struck him. He also came up to him in the street the same night, when ho asked him (witness) to come away in his motor car and he would fix him lip. The next time he saw Anderson was during race week,, when he was again assaulted by him in the Criterion Hotel. Ho was knocked down, and someone knocked him about while he was on the floor. Ha did not know who assaulted him while he was on tho ground.— In reply to Mr Irwin, he admitted that he had been convicted on October 14, 1914, for assault in Dunedin. Ho had never been convicted of assault and robbery at Timaru. —Charles Eager gave evidence as to seeing Anderson strike Eden two blows. M'Gavin ran round to the place where the row commenced and appeared to go down on the floor as though ha was on top of Eden. He did not appear to be separating Anderson and Eden. The lattcr's condition after the trouble was pretty bad. and he looked as if ho had received a good thrashing.— Harold Shadwell (printer) stated that he saw the accused with tho complainant. Anderson end complainant were having a row when M'Gavin said: "I'm in this." He shouldered his way through a crowd, and grabbed the complainant by the coat and swung him round and dropped him on the floor—Robert-M'Cormick-gave evidence as to the assault in June, and Constable Todd gave evidence as to Eden's condition when he reached the police station on the night of October 8. —Alexander M'Gregor M'Gavin stated that he went into the Criterion Hotel with Anderson on the night of October 8. Anderson had said he was going to speak to Eden regarding something the latter had said concerning him. He saw Anderson strike Eden, and he (M'Gavin) immediately interfered and separated the men. He did not kick nor strike the complainant. Some time after this affair Eden offered to take £10 to say nothing about the row so far as witness was concerned. Witness denied having assaulted the complainant.—Henry Leslie Anderson admitted striking the complainant twice, but stated that he did so in consequence of an insulting expression used by the complainant to him.—William David Yorston and Stanley M'Williams also gave evidence.—The magistrate dismissed the charge against M'Gavin. With regard to the other charge, he said he had no doubt that Eden had grossly exaggerated what had taken place. He was not at all satisfied with tHe way Eden had given his evi- ■ dence. He did not think it a case in which a man should be bound over to keep the peace. A fine of 20s, with costs (£2 ss), would be imposed; and in M'Gavin's case the informant would be ordered to pay 12s witnesses' fees, and £1 Is solicitor's fee.