DISTURBING A MEETING

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2362, 19 January 1915, Page 7

DISTURBING A MEETING

| THE CASE AGAINST RANDALL. After an interval of some weeks the case of Ernest Randall, charged with disturbing the No-License meeting in ; tho Town Hall oil November 27 last, and with assaulting Sergeant Kelly, 1 again came before the Magistrate's ' Court yesterday. The case has already i been before the Court on a numbor of I occasions, and a considerable amount ' of evidence taken. Yesterday it was ; finally settled. Mr. D. G. A. Cooper, S.M., was on the benoh, while Mr. J. • J. M'Grath appeared for Randall. i In entering a plea of guilty on ac- ; cused's behalf, Mr. M'Grath 6aid that i his client wished this plea to bo entered ' contrary to his (Mr. M'Grath's) adi vice. This was the sixth occasion on I which the accused had been before the ■ Court on the present charge, and on no' ■ occasion had it been his fault that the ■ case had not been finished. The offence i had been committed on November 27, ! immediately before the recent elections. • At that time, said counsel, the feeling 1 of electors was running somewhat high. » Randall was a mejnber of the Prohi--1 bition Party, and was a man who had > never taken liquor in his life. Accused ' was an extremely earnest young man, ■ and during the eight or nine months he ' had been employed as chef by the Sal- ' ration Army he had shown himself to s be of an exemplary character. Turning • to the incident leading to acoused's ' appearaaice in Court, counsel said ac- ' cused had gone there simply because of his great interest in the subjcct under ■ discussion. He had hoard something • stated there which from his knowledge r of the Prohibition States of America 1 lis considered to bo incorrect, and so ! interrupted. Accused was only one of i many who had disturbed the meoting. 1 Moreover, it must be romembered that ; ' the chairman of the meeting had declared that interrupters would not be put out of the hall, but would be invited on the stage. In conclusion, counsel asked the Magistrate, in view of tho facts stated above, to ho leni- . cut to the accused. Inspector Hemlrey said that the oase had boen stressed so that the l?w - might be enforced in this respect an r enforcement that was in tho interest • of a]] parties. He inquired as to what - was proposed to bo done as to the '' second oimrgc of assault, r Mr, M'Grath replied that though ac- " cused denied having assaulted Servant 0 Kelly ho would enter a formal -plea of } guiltv to the charge. Tho Magistrate said he- would lino ac-. eusod ;C2 with costs, on tho first eliaree, s iinil £1 with costs on the second. Wit. t lipases' oxpeiisos totalling t'J Ms. wore ordered to be paid. Timo was allowed in which to pay.