MAGISTRATE'S COURT

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2256, 16 September 1914, Page 9

MAGISTRATE'S COURT

» » POLICE CASES. ASSAULT IN A COFFEE PALACE AN EXCITED PRISONER. A disturbance in Brown's Coffee Palace on Monday -led to the appearance before Mr. D. G. A. Cooper, S.M.,'yesterday of a man named Alfred Fowler, who was charged with: (I) committing an aggravated assault on Zella Smith; (2) wilfully damaging a blouse belonging to Violet Anderson; (3) committing an aggravated assault on Violet [Anderson. It was stated in evidence tbat Fowler, was in the habit of obtaining meals at Brown's Coffee Palace and failing to pay for them, and that on Monday, when one of the waitresses (Zella Smith) asked liim to pay for a meal, he replied tbat ho had paid already. When the door was closed, the evidence alleged, Fowler struck the waitress in the eye, tbrew a sauce-bottle at another waitress, and followed this up by pouring the contents of the bottle over her blouse. Asked if he wished to question any of the witnesses, Fowler accused the firet witness (Zella Smith) of telling a' whole pack of lies." "It's useless for me to say anything," he added, "you'll believe her before mo. I know" what sort of justice you get in New Zealand. I will say nothing, but plead not guilty." ■'~'. Catching sight of a constable who arrested him. Fowler called out: "That's ths cowardly brute over there I He kicked me I" After hearing the evidence of the constable who arrested him, Fowler said that the constable was a liar, and that the Magistrate would believe anything the policeman said. The Magistrate: "You will be committed for contempt of Court in a minute." In his final statement Fowler said: "I was the assaulted one. J did pay for my meal. She threw a bottle of sauce over me. When I got outside I was knocked down by the crowd, and they all kicked me, and when I got to the police station the constable assaulted me. Anyhow, what's the use, you'll believe them beforo me." ■ The Magistrate entered a conviction," and-JFowler was fined £2, with costs (or 14 days' imprisonment), and £1, with costs (or sevSn days' imprisonment) respectively on the assault charges, and was' also ordered to pay tho cost of tho damaged blouse or spend three days in gaol. OTHER CASES. ■ John Stewart (for whom Mr.. H. F. O'Leary appeared) v ' was convicted on charges of drunkenness and of breaking two panes of glass, and was fined 10s., with the -.alternative of 48-hours' imprisonment,- on the first charge, and ordered to pay the cost of the damage to the windows (Bs.). Margaret Irving, an old offender, was sentenced to two months' imprisonment for drunkenness, and a prohibition or-der-was taken out against her. Similarly charged, Frederick Montague was. fined £1 or forty-eight hours' imprisonment. Seven first offenders were dealt with. ' • '-■