FATAL AFFRAY.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIIC, Issue 14239, 4 July 1910, Page 5

FATAL AFFRAY.

MAN KILLED IX HOTEL. Per Press .Association. AUCKLAND, July 2. As a- result of an affray in the Waftemata. Hotel Inst night, a man named John Mason Price, stated to be a cook at the Lake .Hotel, Takapuna, was killed. He. Iras oerfectly ~ sober, and was standing at the bar' by himself, when another man came in and said t-o

Pri'v "You radser." Price said: '-You withdraw that remark." The other man would not, and Price went to bit him. At this stage another man standing near Price is alleged to have struck him a heavy blow on the jaw. , Price fell to the ground with a thud. He was nicked nn by several peoDle and found to be dead. Price was 4'2 years af age. His assailant is a bis man. and is said to be a wharf labourer. AN ARREST. At 1 o'clock this morning the police arrested a man named Charles Tucker in connection will] the affray .which resulted in the death of John Mason Price. Tucker, when arrested, was about to enter his residence in a side street off Newton Road. Ohnrles Tucker, who is charced with the ?u!;rd»r of John Price at the Waitepirta Hotel, is about 6ft, lin in / heisht. loosely but very powerfully built ( and from 14 to To stone in weiVht. He , is 29 year's of age. and he is well knowii : on the wharves, mid is called bv his •j work mates by the name of "Mark." iHe was horn at Gisborne. The other j man who it is alleged was with the man I who struck Price is named Hurley, \ called by his companions "PaddyJ" ( The accused man does not deuv that ha i and Price had exchanged blows. | Tucker's story is that he was i n tTie j Waitomata Hotel for a considerable ] portion of the day hnvintr occasional j drinks in company with Hurler. He | first noticed Price a little after 5 ; o'clock. and he was in convcri sat'ion with Hurley. Promotlvthey be- ! j:an to fivrht.' and Price, struck HurleyIt was ilien that he >*r.t->rfr.Tcd. Re J oushed Hurley out ' f the wav. told > Price to fiuht somebody ncrer a jnaich, I i'-r hi™, and the '•- and P-i«- »v.

char-trod blows. He hit PrV-c twice, but did not see him fall. Hurley was •"ixinis i<> resume h ; s interrupted battU-. and he (Tucker* had t-o use some force to persuade him to leave the bar. They both left at en"e, and ne knew nothing about what bnd happened to Price, he liaving lot- before the confusion and consternation created by the affair liad developed. He states flat he did not Price fa'!..