ASSAULTING A CHINAMAN.

Otago Witness, Issue 2391, 28 December 1899, Page 9

ASSAULTING A CHINAMAN.

'At the City Police Court on the 20th, a young man named Hugh Wilson ,was charged with having, on Satur'clay night, in CargiJl road, created a .■breach of the peace. — Mr Hanlon appeared for accused, and pleaded not guilty. — Sub-inspec-tor Kiely said there was another defendant, in conjunction with this young man. 'It was really one assault committed by the two at the same time, and he (the sub-inspec-tor) asked that the tvvo ca-ses might bo heard together. — Frank Reid, a y&uth, was then ''charged with committing a breach of the pea-ce 'along with Wilson, and pleaded guilty. — Subinspector Kiely said the circumstances were "that about a quarter to 12 o'clock on Saturday night a. Chinaman named Ing Ping was jquietly pursuing his way from Dunedin to his foonie on the Flat. Going along Cargill load She was met by four young nifen. They were JBtanding about the footpath, and one of them> jfchetn, and two of them followed him along the ■road a considerable distance. They overtook Thim, struck him, and knocked him down. They ibeat him with their fists, cut hia face, split •his lip, and made the blood flow freely. He failed out in his own language that they were ■■'murdering him. Constable Martin was the first to come to his assistance, and as he approached ho saw two men running away. Ho them and overtook them in the Valley load. He accused them of having committed /the offence, and while he was arresting Wilson, Jteid ran away. Thero was a second charge Against Wilson of resisting the police.—Eviflence was given by Ing Ping, Hugh PLimister, iWilliam Phimister, and Constable Martin.— Mx Hanlon said "tha syjdencfi pnjs; jxeni. *c

show that there was a trifling breach of ijhe peace committed. He w^is' not going to try to make out that there was no breach of the peace, but it wa3 nothing like what the subinspector tnade oui. The only person who had suffered was the defendant, £3 he (Mr Hanlon) would show when the time cam<|. — Wilson was then, further tharged with having, on the 17th injst., resisted Constable Martin while in the execution of Jus duty.^Accuged was defended by Mr Hanlon,- and pleaded not guilty! — Sub-inspector Kiely explained that while Constable Martin was arresting Wilson the young man resisted violently, and the constable had no end of trouble with him. The constable was considerably knocked about, and in the course of the -struggle Wilson caught him in such a manner as to nearly madden him with pain. Tlie constable then struck him over the head, with hia handcuffs, having warned him beforehand to relax his grasp.- T Evidence was given by Constable Martin aifjl by Dr Gordon Macdonald. — Mr Hanlon pointed out that the constable had not made any complaint to the doctor at the hospital when he took his prisoner there, and contended that he had no right to take the youth into custody — the proper course being to summon him to appear at court. "He called Dr O'Neill to give evidence.— The Bench retired to consider their decision, and on" returning fined Reid 20s for breach of the peace. With regard to Hugh Wilson, they considered the attack on an old Chinaman a very cow.ardly one, and for the breach of the peace occasioned by the attack he would be fined 40s. For resisting the police ho would be fined 20s, "which amount they would have made the same as the'other — 40s, — but for the fact that accused had got somewhat knocked about.