RIOTERS PUNISHED.

Press, Volume XLIX, Issue 14830, 22 November 1913, Page 12

RIOTERS PUNISHED.

TWO MEN SENT TO GAOL. (PRESS ASfIOCUTIOX TELKGRAM.) WELLINGTON, November 21. The riot outside Messrs Whitcombe and Tombs's premises on tho 30th October was enquired into by Mr W. G. Riddell, S.M., to-day, in tho case in which William Henry Lawtou was charged as follows: —(1) Taking part in a riot on Lambton quay; (2) assaulting -Edward Wardell Pearce; (3) wilfully breaking a pane of glass, valued at about 40s, the property of Whitcombo and Tombs.

Pearce, who is a clerk in a local shipping office, described what led up to the riot. Hβ was, he said, walkiing along Lambton quay with two other "specials." Witness was in possession of a baton, wluch, on account of its length, ho could not conceal from the view of passers-by. Just by the taxicab stand they were sighted by a crowd of strikers, who rushed down on them. As witness turned to defend himself he was separated from his companions. Pursued by a howling mob, he rushed into the premises of Messrs "Whitcombo and Tombs. Several men followed him, and chasing him round a bookcase, seized hold of him. They got him down, thumped him, and tried to drive him into the street. At this juncture three constables came to his rescue, drew their batons, and, after considerable trouble, effected a rescue. Witness eventually got away by means of a back exit.

Two regular constables gave evideneo which fully bore out Pearco's version of the affair. They said when they arrived on tho scene, four men, including the accused, had Pearce down on the floor, and were trying to pull him out of the shoo in order to hand him over to a big mob of strikers and others, who were yelling to the tune of "Pull tho 'scab , out and lynch him." The window in the glass door of tho premises was broken by a stone thrown by the accused at one of tho policemen. The accused, who appeared to bo the ringleader, incited the now wildly excited crowd to "Come on, and wo will lynch the b 'scabs. , " One of tho two witnesses said that he used his baton until it was broken, and then he remembered no more until he found himself in the public hospital. Just when the situation began to look very desperate help arrived. ~ The accused pleaded guilty to the indictable offence, and was committed to the Supreme Court for sentence.

As regards the summary charges, he admitted assaulting Pearce, hut denied breaking the window. His Worship found him guilty, of both offences, sentencing him to two months' imprisonment for the assault, and to one month's imprisonment on the other charge. The sentences will be cumulative.

The accused was described by Detective Lewis as a watersidor on strike, ivith one previous conviction for breaking and entering. The serious lengths to which some strikers will go were also typified in the case in which Joseph Thomas, a waterside worker picket was charged before 'Mr Riddell with assaulting Thomas Reginald Boyes, a shippiing clerk, on the 24th October.

Evidence was given to the effect that Boyes and a companion had just landed on the waterfront from a launch when a crowd'of strikers bore down on them. Tho accused seized hold of Boyes. There were cries of "Over the sido with tho b—— 'scab!' " and Thomas commenced, running him in the direction of the harbour. When ho was within two or three feet of the breastwork a police constable appeared on the scene, and with th&t two other strikers rushed up and wrenched , the accused,away. Prior to this the mob of strikers had been "howling like a pack of wolves" behind Boyes. The police constable who intervened told tho Court that he did not arrest tho accused, but merely took his name, for he (the witness) did not want to go over the side too.

The accused admitted preventing Bovos from proceeding on his way, but denied that he wanted to throw him into the harbour. He had not backed him towards the breastwork. In seizins 1-old of the complainant he was merely carrying out his duty as a pickpt. ■ "The defendant.", remarked the ipa.sristratG when the aceueed had finished his statement, "will h<* sentenced to six weeks' imprisonment."