STABBING AFFAIR AT BELFAST.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 11500, 5 February 1903, Page 2

STABBING AFFAIR AT BELFAST.

THE CASE DISMISSED. John Coleman. a labourer employed by the Canterbury Fi<ozen Meat Company at their Belfast work*, appeared before Messrs Jβ. Janes and S. Lamrence at the.Police Court yesterday, upon a charge of bay ing staobed a follow employee, named John Pearson, on Saturday law. Suo-lnepeotor Dfrrtr conducted the case for the police, and Mr.T. Q. Ruwell appeared for the accused. F. Vγ. 31. Brittan, • a medical practitioner, residing ai Papanui, stated that on Saturday list he wu called to see Pearaon at Belfast, at th> office of the freecing works. He wa« ihen Weeding profusely from a wound in f jont of the ear, eerering the temporal artery. The wound was from an inch to an inch and a half in- length. He tied up the aitery and sent the man to the Hospital. The -Hround, which was inflicted apparently by come «diarp inetrument, wa« gerioue itnJy because it •was causing lose of blood, owing to the severed artery. He could not say whether the wotiod waa due to aooident or design, but it might have been inflicted accidentally. John Pearson, iv slaughterman at m© freezing works, Belfast, gave evidence that on Saturday last iie bad some hot words with Coleman ov<ir the killing of some sheep, end Coleman called him a liar. Hβ then calkd Oolenum a liar, and Coleman thereupon struck at him with hU fl»t, which contained a knife. The blow caused him to fall, and mi found hinwelf lying m a pool of blood. Ife said, "Jack, you have done for me now," «ed Coleman replied, "I did not think I had the knife in my

hand." The aoeiMed said nothing more. He had never aiiempted to etrik« Coleman himself. Harry Mortiimir, a butcher at Bdfaet, gave evidence that during the quarrel between" the two men Pearson had addressed Coleman iin dssgvsting term*. Cflleman, who \vn« sharpening a. knife at the time, struck at Pearson wifrh hie right hand, holding the knife in hie left. Pearson then rushed at Coleinan, who defended himself with his left hiind. and struck himself against, the knife, and received the wound. Other Mne,w» j,rave evidence to the vSect that tho injury was the result of an accident cauwid by Pearson ruehing at Golemaii. The prrsidinp Justice* stated that wie xhowed the attair wa» a pure accident, and the Bench would, therefore I ,<li»m»«! the ctate, \