MAGISTRATE'S COURT

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 309, 25 September 1919, Page 2

MAGISTRATE'S COURT

COWARDLY ASSAULT

TWO MEN SENT TO GAOL

Details of a particularly cowardly assault were heard in the Magistrate's Court; yesterday. .before. Mr. Page, S.M., when James Grant (a negro) and William Crawford, were jointly charged with having assaulted Ilavry Thomas, aired 07 years. Both accused pleadod not guilty. Sub-Inspector Emerson said that thio.. assault was a most cowardly one. At about G. 30 p.ru. 011. Tuesday both accuecd were seen attacking tho complainant at'. the corner of Tory and Holland Street?. Thomas was lying on the ground and both defendants were kicking him andalso spitting on him. Harry Thomas, in/evidence,- said that ho resided in Holland Street and that H'.o cause of the assault: was tho fact that witness nsked defendant Grant not to visit his houso again. Grant had previously assaulted liiiu, and ■on' Tuesday evening the two accused came up to his house and attacked him. - . Grant . win a professional wrestler. • Witness produced tho remains of his clothing, which'were torn to ribbons during tho light. Witness was kicked in the ribs and on the lego. , In reply to questions by Grant-witness denied that lie.made a slash at,tho former with a carving knife; In reply to Crawford'witness reiterated tlmt ho had been kickcd by him. ' Albert Now ton gave evidence as to seeing the' assault Both men kickcd Thomas and spat in his face. • ■•■ Police-Constable Munro also stated that he saw the two accused kicking and spitting at Thomas. Both accused had been drinking, hut- were not drunk. Grant gave evidence to the effect that he asked Thomas for the return of <£4 which he had loaned him. Thomas said that he would get it later. Shortly after G p.m. Grant went to Thomas's house. A young man staying with Thomas ordered Grant oft' the premises. Thomas came in later and also ordered Grant off the premises, but he-remained and demanded some nortion of the JC4. Thomas then attacked Grant with , a carving knife and the latter to obtain possession- of tho knife,, and in doing to ho ripped the clothes off Thomas's back. To Sub-Inspector Emerson.: Grant was a professional wrestler and a boxer. Ho denied'that lie kicked Thomas, but. admitted snitting in. his face. . Crawford would not go-into tho witness box to givo evidence. • His Worship said that the assault was, as described by tho Sub-Inspector—a most cowardly one. Each accused had a. list, and-.they .would bo sentenced to one month's imprisonment each, with hard labour '' SERIOUS CHARGES. , . The Court wqs 'cleared during ■ tho hearing-of two ".charges of having committed indecent-assaults 011 a little girl and -'a ••little boy, preferred against a middle-aged man named Frank Robertson. ' ■ , Messrs. J. W. Ellison and J. Saleki J P.V'wera on the Bench, and DetectiveSergeant R&wlo conducted the prosecution. , : At'the-conclusion of the, evidence the, .accused pleaded guilty and was committed to the Supreme Court for trial.OTHER POLICE CASES. ' A remand for k week was granted in ■the case of Sauluel Agass, who ijas arraigned on. a charge of assaulting John Shine so .as to - cause him aetual bodily hai;m.' .The assault is alleged to have •tafcfn- place on the Hororata, and SubInspector .Emerson-stated that Shine, was in hospital suffering l.rom a broken arm. .• '11l adjournment for a week was granted iii the "case'of Daniel iloar, who was charged, that within tile space of three years past, to wit, on or. about January 20, lOlf), at "Wellington, lie falsely applied to goods a certain trade' mark so nearly resembling'the" registered'trade liiarki of Jcyes Sanitary Compound Co.; London, T bs : 'td' bo calculated- to deceive .with' ! intent to' defhlud - the saul Jeyes Company;' .... ' ' ' ... • On a cliarge of indecently assaulting 'a boy Patrick Murphy was remanded till October 1. ' ; •- A "fine'of JBS, in default 14 days* imprisonment, was imposed on Joseph I' O'Connor, who was charged with committing a grossly .indecent act in tho Post Office-Square. For drnnkenuess Alfred John Johaneon was 'fined 55., and for a breach of his prohibition order he was fined Al. Three first offending inebriates were fined 10s. each.