A STIR IN COURT.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 11506, 30 September 1915, Page 5

A STIR IN COURT.

TEARS AND YELLS. The serenity of the Police Court was rudely disturbed this morning, when Mary M'Kegney, a very old offender, appeared before Mr H. W. Bishop, S.M., charged with having been guilty of disorderly behaviour while drunk in High Street, and with having used ol>»c n© language. The accused immediately burst into a flood of tears and appealed to the Bench to give her a chance to get away. " I will go to-night if you will let mo," she• wailed; '•'but they never give rne a chance. I've, only come out of a home after doing two years, and I took some brandy, which must have gone to my head." Mr Bishop: But you've had plenty of chances before and you haven't , behaved yourself. You will be sentenced to three months' imprisonment for using tho language and convicted on the other charge. The accused t-ook her sentence defiantly and in a loud voice yelled out that she was not able to .stand it, that she wouldn't stand it, and that she refused to go to gaol for nothing at all. The police officers carried her out of the ck while she screamed, kicked and yelled, and throughout the hearing of tho rest of the cases vociferous yells and thumps came floating into the Court from the prisoners' room. Bella M'Kegney, a sister of tho former accused, was then charged with similar offences. She admitted the offences, and at first asked to he tried by a jury. The Magistrate remanded her for a week. "How long did you give me?" sho asked quietly. The position was then explained to her by the Court officials, and sho elected to be dealt with summarily. She was sentenced to two months' imprisonment, Mr Bishop remarking that h© was giving her a shorter sentence than her sister so that they Tvould not both come out together.