CHEERS IN COURT.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIC, Issue 13673, 15 August 1908, Page 6

CHEERS IN COURT.

VARIETY ARTISTS' QUARRELS. j Bow Street cency -g with £ cheers o^a b outj)o varietv artists when JJir ""' , . Mr Joseph man of the Variety Artists Federation Mr Leonard Mortimer, a music-hall was summoned -by Mortimer f Vopentfthe case, Mr Storrey Deans, for Mortimer,: said his client recently took action in the Westminster County Court against the defendant for mdemnificatjon in connection with the recent, music-hall strike. The case was adjourned, and when the parties met outside the defendant spoke to the complainant in 'a threatening wan- • ner Later, in . the Wellington ■ Hotel, Strand, defendant struck complainant a. blow on the cheek. • ' Mr Doughty, for the defence, said, the defendant had been greatly provoked. He certainly attempted to strike complainant, but did not succeed in reaching him. ' The defendant said that, being provoked, he tried to strike the complainant with, his open hand, over the" shoulders, of two men, but he did not think he succeeded in touching him. When witness-tried to strikethe complainant the latter and his friends said that was what they had been waiting ior, and.three or four of them rushed for a policeman. Other evidence was given, and another witness was about to be called, when Mr Curtis Bennett, said he had heard enough. He said that, although he had only been sitting at this court .a few weeks, this was the second case he had had before him arising out .of disputes between variety artists, and he hoped, that, this- friction would now- cease. There appeared to have been provocation on both sides. The defendant had certainly hit N at the complainant, but he did . not think he succeeded in reaching him. Neither did he think that the complainant came out of the case as a Simon The defendant said straightforwardly and honestly- that ho tried to hit the complainant, but did not think he had succeeded in doing, so. He (Mr Curtis Bennett)'was inclined to think that he did not succeed. ,

Mr Doughty (interrupting) said that the parties in the other case mentioned by .the magistrate were not members of the Federation. Mr Curtis Bennett caid that was very likely, but his remarks were intended to apply to variety artists generally, and he thought that the' sooner these; quarrels ceased the. better -it would be for them and the public. Both the defendant and the. complainant would be bound over in £2O to keep the peace for twelve months. ', When Mr O'Gorman left the Court the cheering was renewed again and again.