FOUND GUILTY OF ASSAULT

Southland Times, Issue 24353, 6 February 1941, Page 8

FOUND GUILTY OF ASSAULT

TRIAL OF MEEHAN ENDS ATTEMPTED MURDER CHARGE (United Press Association) DUNEDIN, February 5. The trial of William Meehan on a charge of attempted murder was continued today when evidence was given by George Herbert Christensen, of Oamaru, a Jehovah’s Witness, who stated that six records of the lecture had been put through when he heard a shot. Cross-examined, the witness said that before the meeting he gave a man some literature but he could not recall whether that man was the accused. He denied having told this man that any man who went to fight in this war was a murderer. David Jackman, a retired linesman, said that he gave Meehan about 20 rounds of ammunition for pig-shoot-ing eight years ago. Constable Buchanan stated that following the shot McAuley fell forward crying out “Stop.” He saw Edwards and Ridley holding Meehan down. The latter was excited and smelt of alcohol but was quite sober. Meehan said: “I know what I'm doing. They are 'fifth columnists.’ That’s the way to get rid of ‘fifth column’ b s.” On the way to the police station the accused said that he had lost his head but would do it again. He repeated this at the police station adding: “That is how France and Belgium went under. The accused also said the rifle exploded accidentally and he hoped he had not hurt anyone else. When charged, Meehan said: “That’s not correct. I didn’t know that man. The rifle went off accidentally in the struggle.” This concluded the evidence tor the Crown. Mr C. S. Thomas intimated that he was not calling evidence for the de-

fence. ACCUSED’S ACTION Mr F. B. Adams, the Crown Prosecu- j tor, reviewed the evidence in detail, | describing the accused’s act as dastardly | and cowardly and not one that re- i fleeted credit on the great army with ; which he had fought in the last war. I Addressing the jury Mr Thomas re- i ferred to the bewildering number of I charges against the accused, an array which he submitted showed a weakness on the part of the Crown. I “Before you can convict the accused . on a charge of attempted murder,” Mr I Thomas said, “you have to find that he ! intended to kill. At the time of the > occurrence Jehovah s Witnesses were i a notorious body opposed to all or- • ganized religion and they caused a | diversion in this country. The accused I knew that in the hall Judge Ruther- j ford, this Yankee spell-binder, was to ; speak, and his lecture, I submit, was | subversive and seditious. These j Jehovah's Witnesses go their own sweet l way whether their talking results in I the destruction of our Empire. We ! know what ‘fifth columnists’ are, and | how they secured the fall of Norway, j Holland. Belgium and France, and if ' these Jehovah’s Witnesses arc not ‘fifth columnists’ tell me what they are? ( Most people prefer to call them I traitors.” . I Mr Thomas reminded the jury that | on October 13 Britain had lost, her I Allies and the air blitz was on. The | accused knew that a seditious meeting | was being held. Counsel submitted j it was the accused’s duty to go and stop it. He submitted that intent had not been proved. He suggested that the story of the Crown witnesses did not reveal the whole truth, pointing out that it had been admitted by one of them that they talked the case over and discussed the question of cross-examination. OBEDIENCE TO LAWS

His Honour in summing up said that citizens of the country must obey its laws and were entitled to the protection of those laws. They were not there to try Jehovah’s Witnesses for any alleged offence. The question was whether the accused had or bad not been proved beyond reasonable doubt guilty of the charges. His Honour said that the doctrines and views of which they must strongly disapprove were those opposed to the' interests of the country. Mr Thomas had taken a view of the law in expressing what he said were the rights of the accused in going to the meeting. He would say at once that this view was not a correct one and was based on an erroneous view of what the law really was. His Honour traversed the evidence at length and remarked that the body called Jehovah’s Witnesses was a body which was carrying on propaganda about this time. This method of carrying on propaganda was disapproved—perhaps that was too mild a word to use. It was disapproved strongly by the good citizens of the country. The accused, patriotic and high-minded or otherwise as he might be, had proceeded to the meeting with a rifle and bayonet, which was a dangerous thing unless care was taken.

The jury retired at 3.20 p.m. and returned at 4.20 p.m. with the verdict of guilty on the eighth count only—namely that at Oamaru the accused assaulted George Robert Edwards and Frederick McAuley, the assault being committed by threatening them with a loaded rifle and a fixed bayonet.

The accused was remanded for sentence.