Court Case at Carterton.

Wairarapa Standard, Volume XVIII, Issue 1737, 23 September 1885, Page 2

Court Case at Carterton.

Mr Stratford, R.M., sat for five hours in the Magistrate's Court, Carterton, yesterday, hearing an assault ease, in which Peter Fearick was the informant and a Pole named Offsoski, the defendant. Mr Beard appeared for the informant and Mr Bunny for the defence. The ease arose out of the recent supposed bewitching affair at Carterton, and a quantity of evidence was called to show that some beer, mixed with mustard, was forced upon the complainant by the defendant when visiting defendant’s house. Among the witnesses for the informant were the plaintiff himself, his sister, and two other Polish women. All of these when asked if they could speak Englisn, replied with an emphatic negative, in some instances with the plain word " No.” consequently their evidence had to be interpreted in a most tortuous manner, especially as the improvised interpreter, (Ternoski) was very imperfectly versed in the British tongue himself. All the witnesses for the prosecution spoke as to symptoms arising fron the drinking of the mixture, and also from the effects of two pieces of meat alleged to have been forced down complainant’s throat by Offsoski, but they all repudiated being struck by the idea that the injured man had been smitten with a devil by Offsoski, or the mixture and meat was given for a supernatural purpose, although their actions at the time tended to favor that impression. They adduced that Fearick was ill for a week, and that at times when he became violent they had to leave in a summary manner, also that the offence with which Offsoski was charged took place on the Bth August. On the other side witnesses were sworn, whose testimony went to prove that the beer and mustard mixture was taken voluntary by informant, who, seeing Offsoski drinking some, asked if it was good, and was told that for the stomach it was very good, and frequently drank by Offsoski when he required ” warming up.” Complainant agreed to try the decoction, and was so well satisfied that he asked to be allowed to “ repeat the dose ’’ this he did ; he was also reputed by these witnesses to have taken the meat complained of “ of his own free will and accord.” After hearing the witnesses for the defence, viz., S. Myer, John and FrankOffsoski, Alfred James anda man named Antonio who each and all corroborated the evidence on their side ; Mr Stratford adjourned the ease until Friday morning at 10 o’clock.