POLICE REPORT EXTRAORDINARY.

Otago Witness, Issue 663, 12 August 1864, Page 1

POLICE REPORT EXTRAORDINARY.

A late number of Punch contains the

ant's violence. This gentlemen (pointing to the other prisoner) had gone with him to help him. (

_ The worthy magistrate said, surely, it did not require two great hulking fellows like the prisoners, to deal with one small and weakly person, like complainant, even if they had any legal rights, or good ground of grievance against him. The complainant protested he had never ill-used' prisoners' relations; he only •wanted m' 3 rights, of which the prisoners and their relations had ousted him. He then stated that, on going down to take possession of his property, prisoners, who had collected an armed posse of followers just outside the gate, declared, with very bad language, that they would be the death of him if he dared to set foot on the land. Complainant remonstrated, and

following amusing and witty skit upon the political state of Europe : — Two ruffianly-looking personages of foreign appearance, and speaking broken English, who gave their names as Frederick William Louis Hohenzollern and Francis Joseph Hapsburg, were charged before Mr Bull, the sitting magistrate, with an aggravated assault and highway robbery, accompanied by brutal and unnecessary violence, on a poor little Dane, Christian Clucksbourg. The complainant presented a frightful spectacle. His head was enveloped in surgical bandages, one of his arncs in a sling, the hand of the other strapped with adhesive plaster, and he seemed unable to crawl except with the support of two sticks. When offered a seat on the bench by the worthy magistrate, he seemed so affected by the brutal treatment he had so evidently received as at first to distrust even the worthy magistrate's kindness, declaring in broken English, with a strong North German accent and much angry vehemence, that England was a verdammter deceiving place — that he had suffered from trusting Englishmen; how did he know the officers might not pull away the chair from under him, and

offered to go into the papers with them, and to make an appointment tor the earliest day possible with his men of business for the purpose. The prisoners said " that was all stuff and nonsense ; that they'd been humbugged long enough ; they'd be if they'd stand any more palaver ; they meant to have the land then and there ; they were twenty to his one ; if he resisted, it would be the worse for him." Complainant told them he wasn't to be bullied, and warned them off at their peril. If he was weak, he'd friends who wouldn't see him ill-treated and robbed. (Here the complainant became much affected.) He thought he might say that. Had had friends who had promised to stand by him and see him through it — they hadn't kept their word ; he would rather not say who those friends were. The prisoners replied

let him down suddenly ; he had been let down once too often already; how did he know they weren't all in league with those wretches, pointing to the prisoners; and. a great deal more to the same effect ; showing great obstinacy in his asservations, and resisting every attempt of the worthy magistrate to stop him, or to obtain explanation of the particulars of the assault. The worthy magistrate at length interposed, and begged the complainant to compose himself. He was among friends there, and need not be afraid either of being taken in or made the subject of practical jokes or illtreatment. He (Mr B.) sat there in the Court of Publis Opinion to administer the law and inflict summary punishment, and he would take care the complainant had full justice. The complainant on this became calmer, and, as well as his fearful injuries and imperfect knowledge of the English language would allow him, went on to state that he had recently succeeded to a considerable, though rather embarrassed, estate in Copenhagen, including some outlying land in Jutland, Schleswig, and Holstein, as to the ownership of some parcels of which, more particularly the last, there had been long disputes and much litigation in the tune o <

that "he and his friends might be ." Was it necessary to repeat the exact language ? The worthy magistrate said it was not necessary. Prisoners then advanced threateningly to the gate. He tried to hold it, with the help of two farm servants and a woman who was weeding, and a small boy who had been fetched from crow keeping in the neighboring fields, but the prisoners and their followers, who carried firearms, had forcetl the gate, nearly — if not quite — murdered the complainant's servants — he saw the men on the ground, a huge fellow running after c, little boy with a jack-knife, and several of the men kicking the women before he lost his own senses— then knocked down complainant, beat and cut him fearfully, firing several shats into him

the former owner. The prisoners at the bar appear in the first instance to have gone to this land, of which the complainant had just taken possession, under cover of a regular writ of ejectment, which they insisted on serving, as agents of certain claimants. But whether this claim rested on an alleged title as heirs at law, or as mortgagees, by virtue of a failure of covenant, or what its exact character was, we found it impossible to make out, from the very confused account of complainant, the constant interruption of the prisoners, and the extremely imperfect efforts of several volunteer interpreters who intruded their services with rather suspicious eagerness. At last the -worthy magistrate got a little impatient, and said he was not sitting there to try a n\ce question oi title ; a brutal assault had evidently been committed. You had only to look at the unfortunate object in the witnessbox to see that.

Here the older and more plausible prisoner, Hohenzollern, interrupted with great vehemence — Glucksbourg - was a bully and a tyrant; he had behaved shamefully to his (prisoner's) relations, and all he (prisouer) had done was to , protect his relations from the complain-

as he lay on the ground, jumped on him with heavy boots, tied his hands and feet, tore the clothes off his back, took all his money and papers, and would, no doubt, have finished him outright, but for the arrival of a strong body of the European police force, who had been drawn to the spot by the disturbance.

The worthy magistrate said it was very extraordinary there never seemed to be any lack of policemen after an outrage. He only wished they were as active in preventing rows and assaults as they were ready to make their appearance in that court, and talk about them after they were over.

Inspector Russel hoped the worthy magistrate didn't mean the police neglected their duty ; because if such a statement was published by the reporters with.

the worthy magistrate's name to give it weight — Mr B. could only say that he wished the police would now and then try the plan of locking the stable door before the steed was stolen. (Laughter in court, which was instantly suppressed by the worthy magistrate.) He would clear the court if that was repeated. This was a very serious case, a poor man had been brutally illtreated, robbed, and beaten within an inch of his life — if he ever got over it. (Here the complainant became very faint, and was supplied by the usher with a glass of water, which revived him.)

The prisoners, on being called upon for their defence, made a rambling and contradictory statement, to the effect that they had only been acting for their relatives, the real owners of the property, who had beea kept out of their rights by the complainant and the owner he claimed under ; nis legal title was bad. Didn't remember that they had once recognised his title and signed a paper to that effect. (On being shown the paper.) Had no doubt they did; but that was in consideration of promises that hadn't been kept. Always kept their own promises. The complainant, though he looked, small and weakly, was really a very violent, harsh, tyrannical, and bullying person. Prisoners were hard-working men, who paid their way, respected other people's rights, and only wished to do as they'd be done by. They had been called in by their relations, who requested protection from complainant. They were very fond of their relations — quite a happy family. Their relations were not quite in possession — quite the reverse. They (prisoners) were, and meant to remain so — in trust for their relations. Their feelinga were outraged ; they might have used a little more violence than was necessary, but it was tM the complainant's fault. Hoped the magistrate wouldn't be hard on them. They were willing to own the complainant's title now, and to make it square with him if they had a chance.

The worthy magistrate said he would remand the case for a month, and the prisoners had better try to settle matters with complainant in the meantime. It was one of the most brutal outrages he ever remembered ; and if a satisfactory arrangement were not made, with ample compensation to the complainant for his sufferings and losses, he (the magistrate) "would promise the prisoners the heaviest punishment he was empowered to inflict.

These observations were followed by applause from the bystanders, which was instantly suppressed by the magistrate. It was stated in the court that the complainant is & most quiet and inoffensive person, and that he has a daughter very respectably married in this country. We condole with her sincerely on the abominable usage Mhich her father has experienced.

Ths Confederate Cruiser Georgia is thk Mbrset.-- Much excitement was caused in Liverpool on Monday when it became known that the Confederate war steamer Georgia had quietly steamed up the river and taken up her anchorageground between the Woodside and Seacombe slips. Aa this is the first time that any Con-federate'ship-of-war has ever entered the Mersey, crowds of people gathered on the landing-stages and pier-head 3to have a look at the cruiser. So far as outward appearances are concerned, the Georgia is nothing when compared with any of tie screw steamers which lie dose to her—indeed, she is rather an ugly lump of a vessel. The hull is short, and painted black, as is her funnel. She has two mastß brig -rigged,' and on the whole looks as if she was cut out for anything but the work she is intended for. The Confederate Sag floated very prominently, and its close resemblance to our own Union Jack, with the exception of the white grou- d, led many people to confound the Georgia with the new African mail steamer Calabar, which lay astern of the Confederate. The vessel is in charge of Captain Evans, the Sailing Master. The Georgia mounts six guns, and is manned by a crew of sixty men. The real commander of the cruiser is LieuteuaDt Maury, a son of td° well-known Lieutenant Maury, late of the United States Navy, and now a prominent officer in the Confederate service. The Georgia has discharged her powder and gone into the Birkenhead Docks. It is stated that she will be sold, and that an effort will be made to retain the crew to man the Alexandra. . It is currently rumored that the Alabama may be expected in the Mersey in a short time.— Mitchell's Register, May 6.

A Critical Position for a CAHP.—One morning:, upon striking their tents, it was discovered that they had unwittingly been pitched on the frozen surface oi a lake, and that, if they had remained there much longer, the ice, which waa very far from being strong, would have given i way, so that the whole array must have been engulphed. It was also discovered that among the tents were large holes, which appeared to have been cut ;by the inhabitants of the neighbouring country for the purpose of drawing ■water, and which had escaped observation in the iatigue and labour of the preceding evening. The discovery of the danger ia which they hadj passed the night was made amid loud shouta of laughter from every one in the camp, j from the khan himself down to the lowest horae- j boy. Nor was this merriment disturbed by the appearance of some desperate Turkish soldiers, ■who, unable loDger to bear the fatignea of this march, threw themselves into the holes in the ice to end their wretched existence. This took place j under the eyes of the khan, who watched them ■with the greatest composure, and desired that no force should be used to prevent them.— Life of Ktim Girai, Khan of the Crimea.