THE SEAMY SIDE-.

Waikato Times, Volume 100, Issue 16817, 8 June 1926, Page 8

THE SEAMY SIDE-.

TALES TOLD TO MAGISTRATE. AX OMNIBUS DRAMA. (By R. E. Cordor In London Daily Mall.) This is the slory of tho largo man, the cigarette, and llio -woman who objected to smoking inside an omnibus af, Oxford Street. The first, instalment, was told by a constable to Mr Mead, the magistrate at, Marlborough Street Police Court; and Ihe chapter opened sensationally in the style of the successful serial.

"Officer." said the agitated conductor of omnibus No. 23, "will you come, and sec what, I have got in my 'bus?" The handsome young constable, who bad recently joined the force, leaped to (lie call of duty, and scenling a secret of modern Babylon he But that is enough of Ihe. mystery slory style. What he actually did was to follow the conductor to the wailing omnibus, which was beginning to aftra.ct an ever-increasing crowd. Seated inside the omnibus was the large man and the angry woman, both contemplating with different emolions a cigarette held between the large man's fingers. "Put that cigarette out." commanded the conductor. "No," replied Ihe large man, looking defiantly at the angry woman.

"Then," said Hie constable, "the conductor got. hold of the large man and tried to eject him, but he did not move. (The large man weighed at least lSsl). The driver Ihen came lo the conductor's assistance, and between them they got Ihe large man and Ihe cigarette out of Ihe omnibus." The constable now took charge of the situation and Iho crowd, which bad increased considerably. "The conductor was right." decided Ihe officer. "You do not know your duly," relorted the large man. "It is lime you did. I have paid my fare and I want my ride." "Then I arrested him," declared the constable.

"What happened to the omnibus?" inquired the clerk. "Another officer took charge of that," replied the constable, who did not, make it clear whether or not the omnibus also was arrested or what happened to the angry woman and the cigarette.

Everything, however, vfill be cleared up on April J when the second and last, instalment of this moving story of a London slreet will be lold by the angry woman. Ihe. driver and the eonduelor, an olllcial of Ihe General Omnibus Company, and the large man who was remanded on bail until Hint accommodating dale.

Nodding familiarly at Ihe woman missionary and smiling genially at Ihe gaoler, Sarah MeCarlhy made her O.'nd appearance in flu: dock af Ibis court. She was found by a constable young enough lo he her grandson, lying across the footway in Tottenham Court Road.

"She may have been ill," sugge.slei' the constable. "She was drunk," replied the constable with firm conviction.

"Why did she sec Ihe doctor?" demanded Mr .Mead. "I never saw the doctor," declared Mrs McCarthy, indignantly. "I would not think of seeing a doctor at thai lime of night." "She has forgotten all about it," sighed the magistrate, as be gave Mrs McCarthy Ihe choice of paying half a crown or being the guest of Ihe gaoler until the court rose tor the day. She saved the money.

Last Christmas Eve, Jack Phillips was leaning out of bis bedroom window just before midnight, not singing carols but addressing the stars and any stranger that might pass in language that caused a listening police constable to apply for a summons. The summons, however, was not served because when the constable called Jack Phillips bad started the New Year with a new life in the country. But the long arm of the law collected ,'!os from him eventually.

Patrick O'Phelan, a slim, thin young man, whose accent suggested that be had known heller days, appeared for Ihe second time this month charged with hogging. The first time, when be was discharged with a caution, he was unfortunate in missing the court missionary.

During the last fortnight, according to his story, ho had gone several days without food and many nights without a bed. and he was forced to beg for a meal and a bed. Tliis tini" Mr Mills, the missionary, look him in charge, and if his story is true his troubles, it' not over, wilt

bo considerably cased. Harold was "nuile a nice lad," according io his employer, a shopkeeper, who employed him Io sell fancy goods ill a wage of £2 a week. Rut Harold was not. content with being an assistant. He desired to he Ihe owner of his own business, and Inciting the necessary capital, he hit upon the ingenious idea of setting up a shop Old of his employer's stock, and had accumulated a quantity of pocket knives and brooches when he was arrested. Pleading guilty, he was put hack to have a talk with the court missionary.

Married Iwo years ago. a bricklayer's labourer said that he lived "on and off" wilh his wife, who was now accused of insulting a man in the "West Knd. "Why didn't you lake his address?" she asked a constable who arrested her. "Because you would have taken your leave," retorted I lie officer promptly. The young wife was bound over on condition that she remained out of London for three years as the social amenities of the West Knd did not in her case agree with domestic harmony.