EX-AUCKLANDER’S TROUBLES.

Gisborne Times, Volume IX, Issue 848, 24 March 1903, Page 3

EX-AUCKLANDER’S TROUBLES.

At Sydney, beforo Mr King, D.S.M., Edwin Harrow proceeded against George Staplee, licensee of the Baden Baden Hotel, Coogoo, on an information alleging that the defendant had unlawfully assaulted him at Uoogee on February 22

The complainant, a little elderly gen tleman, with flowing grey beard, und of somewhat picturesque appearance, applied for on adjournment until his doctor would arrive, and created somo Blight diversion by informing the Court that what ho wanted the medical man for was to prove that ho (the complainant) was too ill to appear. It was thou explained to him by the Magistrate that, seeing that ho had appeared, and was actually in Court, it would be somewhat superfluous on the part of ft doctor to go into the witness box and say ho could not appear. This view of tho case boo mod to suddenly strike the old gentleman, and ho acquiesced in it. Complainant went into the witness box, and stated tlmt he at present lived at Moloug House, Kosebank street. Ho was a ‘'globetrotter” by profession, and a man of independent means. He had been stayin' 7 at tho defendant’s hotel for somo time, and on Sunday, February 2hnd, ho went into the bar of tho hotel. Ho was, however, ordered out by tho defendant, but refused to go, and tho latter then turned a syphon on him, and the water wont all over him. Defendant then dragged him out of tho bar. To defendant’s solicitor: Ho wa3 not drunk at tho time. Ho had had notico to leave tho hotel. Ho wa3 not practically thrown out tho next day. Ho did not remember a cabman pulling him out. (•‘That was your clerk,” said he to the solicitor, umid somo laughter.) Ho did not trot round the locality at night with a stick in his hand hunting tho boys and girls. He did not say that anyone had come from New Zealand to kill him though ho bolioved so. (Laughter.) Solicitor : Didn’t you ask Sergeant McKee to lock you up as a lunatic. (energetically): Haven’t I asked him lots of times to lock mo up as a lunatic'.’ (Laughter.) , Sergeant Alexander McKee, of Landwick, deposed that ho had known tho . -complainant for fourteon months, and had always regarded him as to some extent mentally deranged. He had come to the station on two or three occasions, and asked to bo placed under arrest on the ground that he was not responsible for his actions and might destroy himself. Complainant: Didn’t I tell you that 1 would not destroy mysolf, because the people interested in getting my money were my greatest cnomios ? Tho Sergeant : You told me that you had a purpose in going to seo tho man that was in gaol, so that— Magistrate ; Has this got anything to do with tho case ? Tho Sergeant: No, your Worship. At this stage a lively altercation took dace between tho complainant and the defendant’s solicitor, in the course of which the solicitor threatened to it squeeze ” the complainant’s neck. The defendant, Georgo Staples, gave evidence in reply, and said he denied that he had assaulted complainant. He had to turn him out and to sue him for his board. On the Sunday night oomplainant was drunk, and annoyed him a lot, but be did not assault him with the syphon lottle. . i ffli9 case was chemissea.