"CROOK" OR "CRONK."

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIC, Issue 13998, 6 September 1909, Page 7

"CROOK " OR "CRONK."

CONSTABLE AS ETYMOLOGIST. « - (Melbourne''Argus." / An unpleasaut_disagreement between -two brotuers, formed the subject of ah action for slander ihr the County Courton August 26, "before Judge Box. The brothers Lad formerly been partners, - and the slander action arose by way of counter-claim on a partnership ac.tibnj disposed of some days ago. , The 'claim*'was for £4JD. i' William Henry Bailey, examined by Mr Purves, said: On .May 31 last I went into the United Kingdom Hotel, Clifton Hill, with two friends. My brother came in and said he wanted to speak, me. -I said 1 did not want to speak to him, but afterwards, outside the hotel, he said, in the presence : of two other persons, "You are dealing, in cronk' bicycles and stolen stuff/' 1 said, "It's a He. Who told you?" and he said that a friend had-told him, but he would not give the friend's name. He added, '■'• I know it "is true," and I said he was a nice' brother to make an accusation like that. Judge Box: J, don't know that I know the meaning of '* cronk." Mr Cohen: And you cannot ask a witness what lie understood by them. •You could-ask the meaning- of foreign words used in the presence of foreign? era-Jbut not'of'such, words as, this. ,- : 'Judge Box: -I don't want to be told the meaning of ~ ordinary English words but this is. slang. Am I sup-, posed to know the meaning of every term in the thieves' vocabulary. However,- I know what " cronk " means: Mr Cohen: And that won't help your. Honour much, for I see the term in the statement of claim is "crook," not " cronk." Judge Box: Mr Purvis, in his opening, used " cronk." Perhaps they mean the same thing. - Mr? Tucker: They do, your Honour. - William Tom:> Ellison, in answer to Mr Tucker, said: I am a constable of police, stationed at Clifton Hill. Mr Tucker: I propose to ask this witness the meaning of " crook." and •'cronk." ■-. Mr Cohen: This man may be a very 'good constable, but he is not a master of' English or adictionary. My friend might, ask a person who" heard the words what he understood by them, but that is the furthest he could go. To ask a constable, however fine a mnn he may he . physically,' the meaning of a word is ridiculous. Judge Box: Well, perhaps you would like'a, professor. However. I don't think I can ask tins constable to give 'me the meaning of cronk or crook. Do yon press your objection, Mr Cohen. Mr Cohen: I do. Judgo Box: I'll note your objection. I don't know how the judicial mind is going to be affected, but I will admit the question.

Mr Tucker (to the witness): Do you know the words "crook" and "cronk?" —I do. Is there any difference between the words? —In my opinion it depends on the sentence they are given in. »Judge Box: You are dealing' in " crook " or " cronk " bicycles." What "do you' understand by that? —I. would, understand they Were stolen bicycles. By your definition I understand that you are looking at it from a police point of view:-'—Yes, certainly. The same words ; might in another sentence mean sick. If a person said, "1 feel ' cronk ' or ' crook ' " that would mean sick. --■-' <: -: It all!depends on the context, then. It may mean sick or ill? —Yes, hut not in this case, 1 think. , Mr Cohen, in opening the defendant s case, said the brothers had been lurmerlv partners. They parted withont any uutl. blood, hut the defendant heard -that his brotiicr was 'dealing in crook stuif. HeUhought 'it his duty,-.as onebrother to another, and as one careful of the family honour, to tell Ins brother. He took extreme precautious tosce that-no one heard tlie conversation. Defendant said, " 1 don c know whether there is any trutn in the report You.-do. 1 .hope to: Ood; there JTnot. Now, 1 have done my duty as a brother" The d'efendant having given evidence to tuis effect. . ■•'•, ' " Jud«'e Box found that the words were used, and they were used just after the summons In'the other casoiwas served 1 They were defamatory, and therewould, therefore, be a verdict tor tthe 1 plaintilf, William Henry Bailey, -for £lO, with costs.