HOTEL ALTERCATION

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 19785, 8 March 1927, Page 6

HOTEL ALTERCATION

PORTERS IN COURT TROUBLE OVER A FOWL A discussion between two hotel porters as to who was going to pluck fowls for the next day’s dinner resulted in an altercation at McCarthy’s Hotel on the afternoon of February 22. The sequel was heard at tho Wanganui Magistrate’s Court by Mr J. S. Barton, S.M., yesterday, when Thomas Hodgson and Sydney Weatherall were the principals. Hodgson, who was represented by Mr W. Cunningham, laid the first information, and Weatherall, whose interests were watched by Mr L. Cohen, laid a cross information for assault. Tho cases were taken together. Thomas Hodgson, day porter at McCarthy’s Hotel, stated that on February 22, he was going off work in the afternoon when he met Weatherall, who had his coat off. Weatherall asked witness to fight, stating that he had “woodened out” bigger men than witness. Weatherall appeared quite normal and witness could not understand his attitude at all. Tho pair then went into the hotel office to see the proprietor. Weatherall asked witness to put down his “tenner” and he would fight tho next day. The next thing witness knew was that Weatherall had hit him a heavy blow on the side of the face. Witness required medical attention for a fractured jaw. “Put Your Money Up.” Eileen Josephine O’Donohuo gave evidence that on the afternoon of February 22 both Hodgson and Weatherall called at the hotel office, whore Weatherall told Hodgson to put his money up. Then Weatherall hit Hodgson twice on the face. There was a lot of blood about after the blows. Dr. F. Hutchison gave evidence that Hodgson was suffering from a depressed fracture of the cheekbone. It would require a heavy blow to break the bone. Witness stated that he sent Hodgson to tho public hospital to have the bone levered back into place, but tho hospital authorities did not consider the operation necessary. Witness then carried out the operation and raised the cheek bone a quarter of an inch back to its original position. Giving evidence on behalf of Weatherall, Barney Courtenay stated that he saw Weatherall and Hodgson in the back-yard of the hotel. The pair spoke for a few minutes then Hodgson struck JWeatherall and cut his mouth. Sydney Weatherall stated that ho met Hodgson in the back-yard of tho hotel and asked if the fowls for next day’s meal had been plucked. Hodgson, in reply, hit witness on the mouth. Witness then went to the office to report the matter but he lost his temper and asked Hodgson to put up his money for a fight. He followed this up with a punch on the cheek. It was only a fluke blow. Tho Magistrate said ho was quite satisfied a blow had been struck in the yard by Hodgson. Subsequent events savoured of a prize fight. At the office Weatherall had turned and hit Hodgson and his offence was a more serious one and had a more serious result. Hodgson was fined £1 and Weatherall was fined £2.