ACCUSED FOR TRIAL

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 20126, 20 April 1928, Page 8

ACCUSED FOR TRIAL

PECULIAR ASSAULT CASE PAINFUL INJURIES TO COURT BAILIFF “Not guilty’’ was the plea entered yesterday hi tho Wanganui Magistrate’s Court before Mr W. H. Macey, J.P., and C. H. E. Rhodes, J.P., by Bernard Conroy, a painter (Mr H. Lloyd). .Conroy was charged with assaulting John Curran, court bailiff, on March 17, causing actual bodily harm. He was committed for trial at the Supreme Court, bail being allowed in self at at £5O and one surety of £5O. Illustrating the keen interest taken in the case, the courthouse was filled with spectators. Dr. G. Adams said that on the afternoon of March 17, he examined Curran who was suffering from a dislocated shoulder aud abrasions and lacerations to the head and face. The injured man was sullering from shock and was dazed, the.c being a fairly deep wouwl behind an ear, requiring stitches. The dislocated shoulder would require some time to strengthen and the injuries, no doubt were caused by blows. John Curran said he was proceeding along Victoria Avenue shortly after 2 p.m. on March 17, and on getting off his cycle heard accused call “Hey!” from the opposite side of the street. Accused went into a vacant section in Plymouth Street next to the Y.M.C.A. and on witness inquiring what was the matter, ,ho received blows on the head, over an eye and behind an ear. Witness though accused held something in one hand. Witness fell on his right arm and was kicked on the side of a knee as he was falling. Reason Obscure “As soon as I fell Conroy wont up Plymouth Street,” continued witness, “1 couldn’t make out the man’s reason for attacking me. I sang out and he came back a few yards, saying: ‘ This is a 20 years old affair and now you’ve got it.’ Conroy made some remark about my trying to beat a man named Cullen for a job in Wellington, but I don’t know anyone of that name. Ho also said I had tried to “beat” a woman for sixpence worth of whisky. The remarks are a mystery to me. *A Mr Sexton came on the scene and saw what happened. After receiving medical attention I was ordered to the hospital. The'only injury now troubling me is that to my shoulder. 1 have .had no disagreement with Conroy. ’ ’ Sergeant G. Sivyer: If it were suggested that you had been spying on and following accused would that be true? Witness: No, I have no reason for doing such a thing. The man has behaved peculiarly on the few occasions I have seen him and seemed to have something on his mind. What his grievance was, I don’t know. I have had nothing to do with defendant or his relatives. Thomas Sexton, a waterside worker, said that on the day of the assault he saw a man—the accused—beckoning to Curran, who went over the road, after hesitating. Witness stopped to investigate and saw Curran follow accused into the vacant section. Whisky and Firewood “Curran went up to the man, who rushed out and commenced a struggle,” said witness. “Tho other man held Curran down, striking him. I went up and said: ‘Here, that won’t do, striking a man on the gropnd.’ ‘Accused picked up something and put it in his pocket and left. “He returned and said to Curran: ‘You’re nothing but a waster. You’ve got what you deserve—l’ve been waiting to give you this,’ ” continued witness. “Accused added: ‘You cheated a woman out of sixpenny worth of whisky and a bundle of firewood a-.-d vou tried to do Cullen out of his Job.’ ” “Familiarity Breeds Contempt” Sergeant Sivyer stated that accused at an interview at his home in Niblett Street, admitted the assault and said that Curran had been following him about. Everywhere he went he saw Curran and could stand it no longer. Other than that, added witness, there seemed to be no reason for the affair. Accused said he had a broken glazier’s knife with him and u painter’s brush and a bottle of turpentine in h ; s pocket. He could not say if he nad used | the »rticles in the assault aud did not remember beckoning to Curran. He had called Curran “a mongrel.” NTr Lloyd stated that defendant reserved his defence, and accused was then committed for trial.