POLICE METHODS.

Gisborne Times, Volume XIX, Issue 1542, 25 August 1905, Page 4

POLICE METHODS.

ALLEGED DEFAMATORY LIBEL.

MAODONELL V. OEODOE

On Wednesday morning at tho Hastings Magistrate’s Court, beforo Mr Brabant S.M., Ewon Maodonoll, of Napier, inspector of police, proooodod on an information againßt Alfred Araory George, of Hastings, printer, for that, on or about May 13th, 1005, in a paper oallod tho Now Zealand Bulletin, ho did unlawfully publish a false and dofamatory libol concerning tbo inforinant as follows : " POLICE METHODS.” “ A HIDEOUS TRAVESTY ON JUSTICE.” " Some of the methods adoptod by the police in Napior are so uubcaroblo that it is, necessary someone should rofer to them [ in the interests of justice and common fair ploy. Wo invariably notice when wo go to Napier a doteotivo, who has boon convicted of all tho most degrading prootioes of polioo pimps, oven to accepting tho hospitality of people, on tho ground that he was hard up, and tbon trying to trap them into sly-grog soiling. Wo say wo invariably notice this oharaotor hanging on to a lamp.post opposite one or othor of the pubs, trying to work out Bomo eobomo for getting at the proprietor. Wo have ample ovidonoo of this samo oharaotor going to a porson and spinning a harrowing talo about a girl ho had got (as tho religious papers say) in an interesting condition, and tbs awful result that would follow whon his poor wifo found it out,and so on, and finally pulling out a fifty and twonty pound note, tied up with a string from his stern lockor, and offering it to his intended viotim if ho would tako tbo oase in band, offoring to mako it up to a hum drod whon\bo found tho bait would noi 1 take. Tbo manufacturer of orimo admit ted in Oourt that ho did his best to tra{ the man by instructions from tho inspector Wo have seen letters written from Hun tcrvillo and other parts, written by polioi pimpu, making similar offers. Wo are alsi informed that the polioo aro Bonding girl of known immoral oharaotor about Napie to trap young men into crimes of variou sorts. The latest report is that a oonstabi arrested one of these doooy ducks for doini what she was sent out by tho police to dc that tho arresting oonstablo was toi familiar with hor in tho 0011, was caught i; tho act by another spy, and is now unde suspension. It is hardly oonceivablo tho a polioeman who knew, aa he must hav knowD, the filthy state of diseaso the woman was in, would have dono what he is oharged with, but tho incident amply proves that, if Mr Soddon wants to remain in offioo, ho had better hold a soarohing inquiry into tho methods of his underlings in this district, and tho rea* son that no man will work under the present head if he oan possibly get shifted elsowhere. Tho conduct of the Napier polico is nothing short of a public soandal, if half tbo current reports have an atom of truth in them. An offioiol of alleged justice who offers a person £IOO (with a sprinkling of Freemasonry thrown in as a farther fillip) to induce him to commit a crime, ought to bo hanged to the nearest lamp-post, alongside the heathen brute who sent him out to do it. Is Mr Seddon aware of these doings ?" Mr CJresswell appeared for the prosecution and the accused was represented by Messrs H. B. Lusk and David Scanned. Mr Cresswell said the information was laid under the Criminal Code Amendment Act, 1001, for what is known as defamatory libel. The information was laid by Inspeotor Maodonald, who alleged tho article referred to seriously reflected on him a 3 a private individual and as a police officer in the diseharge of bis duties. The oharges preferred were of such a serious nature that he could not overlook them, and, as it was useless to take civil proceedings against the accused, the inspeotor instituted a criminal action for defamatory libel. The proceedings would be considerably shortened as ho understood publication of the paper would be admitted, Mr Lusk formally admitted publication. Tho following evidence was called for the prosecution and accused’s solicitors rofraiued from cross-examination - Peter Skerrett, olerk of the Oourt at Hastings, produced the Stipendiary Magistrate’s order authorising Inspector MaCdonell to proceed against Alfred Amory George for defamatory libel. George Stubbs, of Napier, aooountant, deposed he had been a Justice of the Peace for the oolony for about nine years. He produced a copy of the New Zealand Bulletin of May 13th, 1905, which bore the following imprint .-—“Printed and published by Alfred Amory George'at his l-gistered printing office at Hastings, Saturday, May 18th, 1905." Saw an article headed “ Police Methods ” od page 9. Ho read the article, which applied to four people, amongßt whom was Inspeotor .Macdonell.. The charge against Inspeotor Macdonell was very grave. If it were true that tho inspeotor was Bending girls of an immoral oharaotor into the streets to trap young men the sooner a new inspector was appointed to Napier the better, The charge affected his pnblio and private character, and also his administration aB Inspeotor of Polioe. If the statements were untrue the oharge was very cruel and dooidedly .libellous. He mentioned this charge, but there were others. James P. Thompson, of. Napier, draper,deposed ho was a Justioe of the Peace. He saw -the paper (produced) and read the artiole entitled “Polioe Methods.” ..The article contained not only general oharges against the police, but also particular charges against Inspector Maodonoll. As a business man, he said if the charges were true, the sooner the inspector were deposed the better; if untrue it was a very serious libel. Tho oharge was a very seriouß ene, and affected the inspeotor as a private in* dividual. This concluded the evidence for the prosecution. Acousod pleaded not guilty, andresorved bis defence. Ho was oomitted to tho next criminal sessions of the Supreme Oourt at Napior for trial. The prosecution raised no objection to bail being allowed, and acoused was admitted to bail on bis own recognisances of £IOO and two sureties of £SO each.— Telegraph.