MAYOR'S COURT.

Evening Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2499, 18 February 1871, Page 2

MAYOR'S COURT.

This Day. (Before his Worship the Mayor.) DRUNKENNESS. Mary Jarvey was fined 40s, or 14 days’ imprisonment. Eliza Deely, a recent arrival from Melbourne, was fined ss. DESERTION. Charles Sullivan pleaded guilty to a charge of deserting from the ship Christian M‘Ausland, and was remanded until Monday. OBSCENE LANGUAGE. Samuel Farra was fined L 5, or a month’s imprisonment for this offence. THEFT. Agnes Ware, aged about 15 years, pleaded guilty to a charge of stealing a diamond ring valued at Ll6. the property of Mrs Jane Towers. The Commissioner of Police stated that the girl had been in Towers’s employ. The ring had been traced to a pawnshop, where she had obtained 6s upon it. She was now very penitent. The Bench said the justice of the case would be met by discharging the prisoner with a caution, and she was discharged accordingly. The Mayor here left the Bench. (Before I. N. Watt, Esq., R.M.) OBSCENE LANGUAGE. Alexander Macgregor was charged with having, on the 15th inst., used threatening language towards one Bernard Isaac, to wit : “Yon , if you come outside I will punch your head.” Mr Stewart appeared fur the complainant, and Mr Harris for the defendant. The first witness called was Mr Job Wain, who said : I am a member of the Licensed Victuallers’ Association, and remember the meeting of the Association on the evening of the 14th inst. (Mr Harris objected to this line of examination, but his Worship declined to stop it, as it might or might not lie evidence of animus. A copy of the placard which appeared in Mr Isaacs’ window on the 15th inst. was produced.) All the persons whose namrs are on the placard were present at the meeting, I met Mr Macgregor on the evening of the 15th inst. in front of my house. 1 did not know the object of his coming there. It was not previously arranged that we should meet and go to Isaacs’ shop; and lam surprised at such a question being asked. When we went to Isaacs’, there was a crowd there ; there usually is. Macgregor purchased some pills, aud after paying for them asked Isaacs to take down the placard ; and said if he did not he would smash his head as small as the pills as be purchased. I heard no abusive language used while I was in fie shop. Bernard Isaacs dep >sed : I remember the evening of Wednesday last. At about 7.20 m. the defendant came into my shop, folowed by Mr Wain and several others. I should say there were about twelve or fourteen present. Macgregor asked for a box of pills, and handed me Is fid in payment for them. He then asked me what right I had to put his name on the placard outside my window. I said “ I did it from informatio i received” He said, “Take it off immediately.” I replied, “ I am a business man in the town, and I wish to give no one offence ; if 1 have done so to you I will take the bills down. Although I am taking an active part in politics, I wish to offend no one.” He then flew into a great rage, and said he would smash my head as small as the pills he had bought from me. He said he would murder me, even if he were bound oyep to keep the peace. He would have revenge, and would put tho mark of the Macgregors upon me—(Laughter.) Ho then became violent, and said “You > if you conic outside I’ll punch your head.” I think the words could have been used by a person outside. He insisted on my going outside to fight; and said be would not take the law against me, but would have it out of of me some time or other. When he asked me to come out, I told him my boy was taking d wn the bills, aud I should not do so. 1 did riot go outside. I have seen too much of the Ballarat riots ; and there were too rriariy appearances of a riot. When he got outside he again threatened to punch my Bead. I afterwards scut for a policeman, because the crowd had increased. Crossexamined : I had riot refused to take down the bills before he used the threatening language, but I had refused to tell him where I got the placard. I decline to state where f got the placard from. Mr Wain, with others, tore the placards down. Macgregor was not satisfied when the bills were taken down. He is a very severe man when he is non compos mentia —(Laughter.) I am not awarp of having got into trouble lately. I certainly have been summoned to pay Mr Nathan’s hat (Renewed laughter.) He was tearing' down my bills, aqd 1 ran after him, and his hat fell off, I asked the policeman to see me home, because threats had been held out against me. I was afraid of the infuriated mob. I asked him to go with me while I bad a glass of grog.—(lncreased laughter.) Aimisiog evidence was given by several witnesses ; and ultimately the defendant was fined 5s aud costs.