AN OUTCOME OF THE CLUTHA SLY GROG CASES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2326, 29 September 1898, Page 11

AN OUTCOME OF THE CLUTHA SLY GROG CASES.

At the City Police Court on Thursday last, a well-dressed young man named John Pringle was charged that he did, at Dunedin, on the 16th inst., use threatening language in Princes street, with intent to provoke a breach of the peace. — Mr A. C. Hanlon appeared for accused, who pleaded guilty. He also pleaded guilty to a further charge of having at the same time and place used obscene language. — Sergeant O'Neill said the particulars were that Constable Cruickshank and another constable had been some time ago sent to do duty in the Clutha district, and were successful while there in bringing about convictions for breaches of the Licensing Act. — Mr Hanlon asked what this had got to do with the charges. — Mr Carew: I want to know the origin of the words. — Continuing, the sergeant said Cruickshauk had been in the Police Force about two months, and a feeling had got tip against him. The accused met him in Princes street, and asked him if his name was so and so, using the language complained of. He followed the constable down the street to where another constable was on duty. Cruickshank called this other constable, and accused in his hearing said : " Come down to the wharf, and I will take it out of you." Two companions of accused came on the scene and took him away, and they went round through the arcade, where they met another constable. Accused said to him that Cruickshank was going to lock him up, and he repeated what he had before said. — Mr Hanlon saM accused was a traveller, and all he could say in extenuation was that he (accused) and a few friends had been imbibing rather freely that evening. He had been at the Clutha, and. had had his mind poisoned by the statements I he had heard about the constable. As far as i tha obscene language was concerned, counsel 1 thought his "Worship would hesitate to send , a young man like accused to gaol for a first offence. He was now travelling for a large firm here, and had previously travelled for a large firm in "Wellington. In connection with the , charge of obscene language, counsel left ac- , cused to the clemency of the court. — Mr Carew : I Accused is convicted on both charges. Have , there been any previous convictions? — Ser- , geant O'Neill : None, your "Worship. The constablo was on duty at the time. — Mr Carew thought accused had been guilty of a very foolish act in accosting a man who was a stranger to him, and vising the language he had. For j the first offence th"c highest penalty was a fine ( of £5, and for using obscene language the high- j est penalty was a term of imprisonment for j one year. If a person committed larceny he could be admitted to probation, but if he used obscene language he must be sent to gaol. He j (Mr Carow) felt very reluctant to send this , young man to gaol, because when he came out he had lost his self-respect, and was worse than ; when he went in. Accused would be fined £5 \ for using threatening language, and for the obscene language he would be ordered to come up for sentence when called on. "Wheels in your head, ungreased. That's . awkward. Not drink? No. Flu Flu, you know what that is? Influenza — that's not i biought on by swallowing a box of dominoes. It's a very severe cold in every part of the j body. The treatment is pure, simple, and effective. Take Woods's Great Peppermint Cure ; ■ it knocks it out every time, Paste this on the j ■ kitchen clock."