A Street Affray.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVI, Issue 156, 6 July 1904, Page 4

A Street Affray.

POLICE INFORMATION DISMISSED. At the Police Court on Tuesday morning, before Mr T. Hutchison, S.M., George Coyle was charged that on June 28th he assaulted Robert Johnstone by kicking him in the hody. Accused, lor whom Mr Claude Weston appeared, pleaded not guilty. Sergeant Haddrell called Arthur Staunton, a young man staying at the Jubilee Hoardinghouse, who said that on that night he heard a disturbance near the house. He went out with Thomas Riordan and saw one man kicking another who was lying on the '' ground) The mini assailed was John- ! stone, whom yvilness took into the j house, and sent him to his room, i When he went out one man ran i away. He could not say that accused was the man who ran awav. From what lie heard since he lie- | lieved Coyle was the man who was 1 kicking Johns-tone, who was rather ' knocked aUoul. lie could not swear j to accused's identity. Johnstone could not walk. I Thomas Riordan, a railway clerk, residing at the Jubilee lioardinghouse, said that about, IUSO p.m. ! on the 28th lie heard a scuffle out- ! side the house in the right-of-way. After waiting a while, he got out of bed ami went outside. He saw Coyle . kicking Johnstone, but the former ! run off as soon as witness went out. ! He did not hear any bad language i used. Johnstone, was in n dazed condition, and cut about the face. , To Mr Weston : Watched the affray \ for about three minutes. He could ' not say if Johnstone yvere drunk, j The assault, had it gone on, would i have resulted in serious injury. Mr Weston : And did it result in ! serious injury ? Witness : I don't know. Mr Weston : Thai's the best an- j swer we've had to-day. I Robert Johnstone, a labourer, was [ called. He said be knew Coyle, and | was with him on the night of the ! 28t,h ult. Was going home, near the Imperial Hotel, and stopped in conversation yvith another man. Coyle was standing by and broke into the conversation with "You couldn't do it. You're not the stuff;" Witness pushed Coyle, and they they "had a go"—a fair fight. That lasted afi'out ten minutes, at the Imperial Hotel i comer. Witness then walked away,

towards the Jubilee, and Coyle followed him, saying "I want to finish it with you." Witness said " All right," and they had another "go." It ended in Coylo getting witness on the ground. Home people rushed out of the lroarding-house, and Coyle walked away. There wus no kicking done. That was as far ns he knew about, it. , Was not the worse for lmpior. lie had not tasted liquor since December. The light ended in the right-of-way. To Mr Weston : Clot up all right next morning. There were bruises on his head, hut he did not think they were the results of kicking. lie had been unable to .work for some days in conseifpieiicc. The Bench : 'Pile informations is dismissed. The charge should have been laid under Ihe Police Offences Act. The light took place, or commenced, at any rate, in a public street.