AN UNFORTUNATE CASE.

Colonist, Volume LV, Issue 13775, 16 July 1913, Page 3

AN UNFORTUNATE CASE.

WOMAN CHARGED WITH

DRUNKENNESS

i A woman named, Mary Hunter was brought before Messrs.' W. Lock and B. H. Moller, Justices of th& Peace, at tho Magistrate's Court yesterday on a charge of drunkenness. Defendant, against whom there was a recent previous conviction, pleaded not guilty. Senior-Sergeant Darby represented the police. Constable Bertholsen stated that it was reported to him at one o'clock that morning that there was a woman in a house occupied ,by a single man in Emano street, that she. was not wanted there, and that she had refused to leave. He went to the place, and found defendant under the influence of liquor. When she was put out into the street he arrested her for drunkenness.

Defendant said that she did not wish to ask the-witness any questions, but asked to be allowed to make an ex-

planation. y A witness in whose house the woman was until one o'clock in the morning, said he did not know her, and had never seen her until eight o'clock on the previous evening. She came in a cab with two yoiing men, and sought shelter, as she said she had nowhere to go. Seeing that she had a little liquor, he took pity on her, and allowed her to lie down in his house. Ho went to a neighbour's for about three hours, and on returning to his house told her to go. She refused to leave, and he had to send for the police. Defendant made a long rambling statement to the effect that' she.. had. been tramping all over the town trying to _ get storage for her trunks before going into the Hospital to uudergo an operation. She was on her way there when a young man came along and I asked her how she was, and she replied, "Very bad," so ho took her to the house in Emano street, whero he said his uncle lived. She denied that she was drunk, and said that she was worn out with dragging aboiit the town. Since she had been in Nelson she had worked for several people. Senior-Sergeant Darby said that defendant had been in tho Hospital. For the last few weeks she .had ,boen making herself a nuisance to respectable people, and unless she left the town she would be charged aaa a vagrant. ' * /'* %; •

Defendant said that if the Bench would give her an hour sho would pay the fine. She pegged the Justices not to send her to gaol. In reply to Mr. Lock, defendant said if they let her off .she would leave the town, but it would prevent her from going into the Hospital. After consultation, the Bench found defendant guilty, and imposed a fine of 10s, in default 48 hours' imprisonment.