Served Beer While Man Lay Injured

Chronicle (Levin), 20 October 1949, Page 7

Served Beer While Man Lay Injured

AUCKLAND, Oct. 10. Evidence that he was prevented from questioning accused about an alleged assault in the Ambassadors Hotel on .Julv 13, by a hostile crowd of waterside workers aml seamen, was given by Bergeant llall m the Supreme Court when Joseph Murray Burns, aged 19. ;eaman (ilr. Henry), stoocl his trial Burns was charged with assaultiug Alexander Fisher, a seaman from thc )ttawa Valley, so as to cause aetua bodily liarm. Mr. Justice Stanton wa; >n the Bencli. For the Crown, Mr. Meredith saic it was a case of unprovoked assault oi i seaman from tlie Ottawa A alley, tlu ship that was held up for some month: .ii Auckland harliour by union troubles Fisher was assaulted in the bar anc suffered a fractured skull but the ser geant wlio went to inquire about thi assault, was unable to get any infor mation because of the crowd of men ii the hotel. Kobert McGurni, b'arman, said he wa: on duty in theM>ar|of tlie Ambassador; Hotel when Ihe ""alleged assault occur red. He did «o| s'ee anv light and -h P rst thing he knew' was when lie sa\ Fisher lying on the eoncrete floor. ilid not' go out and look at him as was too imsy at' th.e bar and had m ' \ime to look," said witness. Mr. Meredith:- The paramount tliiu: | Ihen is to serve out beer whether a ma 'is lying dead or nn'-onscious with ■ fractured skull ifi front of the bar. Witness: Yes,."we must keep on serv ing the others who are alive. Ilis Ilonour: Ti seems to be a case o service before solf there. After a retircment of an hour, tli jurv ac(|uitted accused on the charg of assijult so as to cause actual bodil harm and also on an alternative cliarg of common assault. Ilis Honur diseliarged accused.