A PECULIAR CASE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 10346, 29 December 1911, Page 2

A PECULIAR CASE.

[Peii Press Association.] AUCKLAND, December 28. According to the'story told by a voung man named Frederick Warren m the Police Court, ho had an exciting and distinctly unpleasant experience on the evening of Wednesday week, on his way homo after spending a few convivial hours with some boon companions. He called at a small shop in Albert Street, kept ostensibly for the sale of cordials t>y a woman named Margaret Dennis. He made a purchase, and tendered the woman a £1 note in payment. He asked for his chango, and' she, having ordered him to clear out, turned round, snatched a revolver from tho drawer of a bureau, and the next instant he found himself looking with alarm rather than interest down into tho depths of its threatening muzzle. Ho turned and fled incontinently, but in the shop door he was accosted by a man who struck him, snatched at his watch-chain and hustled him into the street. Warren, who was now thoroughly frightened (as ho fully believed the revolver was loaded), wont in search of tho nearest policeman, leaving his chango in tho custody of Miss Dennis. Ho found Constable Palmer not vory far away, and returned with him to the shop. Tho man who had assaulted Warren wa3 nowhere to be seen, but the woman, after persistent knockings, opened tho door. The Constable found tho revolver in tho drawer whence Warren, said Miss Dennis had taken it, but the chambers contained no cartridges, and apparently tho weapon, which was quite new, had never been used, nor even loaded. When the woman entered the wit-ness-box she gnve a very different version of the occurrence. She said that when young Warren came into her place she treated him honourably and fairly, and gavo him correct change for his £1 note, but lie was not satisfied with that, but demanded the return of the whole £l. She refused to give him any more chango, and then be struggled witli her and handled her roughly, bruising her breast badly in his endeavour to get back his money. Mr A. N. Moodio, who appeared for the woman Dennis, urged that, even if complainant's statement that defendant had presented a revolver at him were true, tho fact that the weapon was unloaded was in law a bar to ;in information alleging assault. Sub-Inspector Hendry replied that if tho porson at whom tho weapon was presented had reason to believe it was loaded, the case under the Act was one of assault. His Worship held that an assault had been committed in terms of the information, and sentenced the woman Dennis to one month's imprisonment with hard labour. He, however, agreed to state a co.so for appeal on points of law. on tiie accused entering iuto &. bowl to