AFFRAY AT WADESTOWN

Evening Post, Volume XCVII, Issue 130, 4 June 1919, Page 2

AFFRAY AT WADESTOWN

A LIVELY AFFAIR.

Particulars of a lively affair at Wadestown on the night of 27th May were given to Mr. F. V. Frazer, S. „ in the Magistrate's Court this morning, when Herbert Maloney,- a powerfully built young man, was charged with being a rogue and vagabond, in that ho was found by night without lawful excuse on the premises' of George Nash, and with having assaulted and resisted Constable Williams, and damaged his uni- . form. George Nash said that defendant came to the house fairly late at night, and asked for a whisky. Witness told him to clear out, but defendant refused to do so. At the time, witness was ill in bed. His sister sent for Constable Williams, but by the time he arrived de- , fendant had left the premises. The constable found Jlaloney in the hayloft and took him into the house. Maloney knocked the constable's helmet off, and punched him iii^ the ribs, and then the constable closed"' with him, and ran him out of the house, ' To defendant: Witness said defendant had been staying at his house frequently. He did "two hours' gardening for him. Defendant: I have been sleeping in "the same room with him for the last two or three months. ' Witness said he never invited defendant to his house. He used to do little jobs about the place. Every night hecame there he had ordered defendant to leave. , Defendant . On the night before the occurrence I stayed in your housed and I have slept in the same room with you for the past two or three months. ' Witness said that if defendant was there the night before, it was- not with his consent-, i - Constable Williams said that when he found defendant he was in the hayloft, and got out by the roof. He did not / claim any right to be on the premises, and asked Mr. Nash not to give him in charge. He resisted violently, and witness had to quieten him with his baton. In the struggle his uniform was almost torn to pieces, and witness was injuredhe had only _esumed/auty to-day. On a previous occasion, some months ago, he had to arrest defendant, who said he would wait for him when lie met him some night at Wade_town. To defendant : Witness said that Mr. Nash had complained of defendant's presence, and witness hod warned him off. Defendant: I got the worst of the encounter. I got a blow with your-baton, Which knocked me silly. Defendant, giving evidence on oath, admitted the assault on the/constable, but 6aid that Mr. Nash told him that as he hud a poisoned leg he could go there as much as he liked, and he had been there for the past two or three months. On the night in question, witness had a bottle of beer in his hand, and. Nash wanted it.' He went out of the house to save trouble. He was almost ready to go to bed when he heard Nash tell his sister to go for the, police. Senior Sergeant Willis : Do you1 know that when this affair occurred the police were looking.for you to1 arrest you as an idle 4 and disorderly 'person ? Defendant : No, I didn't know that. When did you do any work last? About three months ago, I had a poisoned leg. His Worship said it might be that there was something between Nash and defendant, otherwise he would not have been there off and on fol a considerable period. The serious feature of the affair was that he did not go when Nash ordered him out. He would be convicted and discharged on the charge of being a rogue and a vagaond; as to the "other charges, his "Worship pointed out that they were of a very serious nature. Defendant '■would be sent to gaol for a, month, for the assault, and ordered to pay £4 5s damages, with the alternative of another twenty-one days' imprisonment.