ASSAULTS ON CLERGYMEN.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 16160, 14 March 1918, Page 7

ASSAULTS ON CLERGYMEN.

THE FEILDING AFFAIR. THREE MEN COMMITTED FOR TRIAL. (press association telegram.) FEILDING, March. 13. Before Mr 1». G. Reid, S.M., to-day, Michael Rowan, Simon McGrael, and James Egan were charged with assaulting George Frederick Stockwell, and Rupert McKee with attempting to assault Leslio Wain. All the cases arose out of the Rev. Howard Elliott's meeting here. Inspector McKinnon prosecuted, and accused were represented by Mr Cooper (Palmenston). Inspector McKinnon said the charges were laid under the Crimes Act, anu therefore were indictable offences. The Rev. Mr Stockwell gave evidence that after the meeting he was going along a Btreet with Miller and _ Warn, when Rowan used objectionable language as they passed. Ho then followed them with a crowd. In a dark part of the street the crowd came on with a, yell, and he was struck. Ho appealed to the men to be British. He was struck again, and knocked out. xlo was struck from behind. Dr. Phillips described Mr Stockwell s injuries, which consisted of several contusions on the face and a very swollen bruise under the chfti. The sores afterwards got septic and had to be lanced. Miller's own evidence, with the doctor's, showed that he had been struck from behind on the nose, eye, ana mouth. He also had marks on tho hip, and a tooth had been knocked from a Pl Wain (Salvation Army officer) identified Rowan as tho man who assaulted Mr Stockwell. After attending to Mr Stockwell, he chased the assailant, when McKee struck at witness, who defended himself. Other evidence was to the effect tnat all four accused had been seen together after the assault. Constable Anderson stated that he heard McGrael say before the assault, I "I will get the rotten cow before the night's out; see if I don't" (evidently referring to Elliott). Egan said no would like to have"Elliott on the street; he would make a football of him. Mr Cooper applied for the dismissal of the charges against Egan and McGrael on the ground that there was no evidence that they were present at the time of the assault. The Magistrate held there was evidence of intention to assault on the part of the three, and would send them to the Supreme Court for trial. In regard to McKee, who was charged with at- ! tempting to assault Wain, that was not an indictable offence, and ho would dismiss the charge without prejudice. In ! the case of the other three bail was fixed at £50 each.