Clerk and Constable.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXIII, Issue 1855, 8 September 1906, Page 3

Clerk and Constable.

PRESS ASSOCIATION Timaru, Thursday,

At the District Court yeslerday, before < Judge Haselden and a jury of four, a civil \ suit was heard in which H. V Stapleton, a 1 clerk, olaimed £257 demages from Samuel 1 Tanner, a police constable, for an assault alleged to have been committed by tbe defendant whilst on duty in Timaru on D roember 7ib la9t. Tbe plaintiffs slory was that he was good humoredly chasing a young naan, mistaking bim for a friend, along Btsffurd street at 10.30 p.m. They ran into two polioemeD, Taoner aDd Drlton. Heobafled Tanner about some Irifl-, and Tanner struck him on tbe jaw, knocking bim down, and then arrested him and locked him up. Next morniDg he feuod that his lower jaw was broken. Medical evidence , Bhowed that the jaw was broken in two pleoep. The cure wbs prolonged and - painful. Tbo plaintiff's story was corroborated by four witnesses lo tbe extent that they .Saw four men standing together and one was dowD. One of the wit- '' ’‘nisee?', a woman, said sbo saw a blow struck, and another stated that be beard a blow. For tbe defence, tbe defendant and his

oomponion ooustable, the ycuDg fellow * who was chased (a stranger in Timaru) and two or tbroo others testified that the ; plaintiS fell while running, and before he reached the policemon, The jury in an hour relumed a verdict for the defendant.