ALLEGED ASSAULT AND ROBBERY.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2076, 31 December 1907, Page 2

ALLEGED ASSAULT AND ROBBERY.

ACCUSED COMMITTED FOR TRIAL. P*ess Association. CHRISTCHURCH, Dec. 30. Benjamin O’Connell was charged at tho Kaiapoi Police Court to-dav with attempting to assault and rob 'Robert Lydster, aged 17, and G. Ellis. The former in his evidence stated that between 11 and 12 p.in. on December 24th O’Connell, on horseback, overtook witness and a youth named Ellis, who were on bicycles. O’Connell bored Ellis on to the shingle, and J-JJj,- s had to get off his machine. 0 Connell got off his horse and demanded money from him. Accused then followed witness and called on him to get off his bicycle. He o-ot hold of the bicycle and held his arm and threatened if ho called out he would strike him, and also threatened to shoot. Ho demanded monev. and searched witness’s pockets, and' look a a Parcel of the value of 10s. G. Ellis gave similar evidence. -for tho defence accused’s father said that O’Connell, when he reached home, was too drunk to assault anyono, and his brothers and witness put him to bed.

Iwo brothers, Michael and Daniel and J. Loved ay, stated they all left Ivaiapoi pretty full of beer, and were in company drinking beer'from bottles near where the alleged assault took place. It could not have .happened. Lovedav stated, without liis seeing or hearing of it. The Bench decided to commit accused for trial. Bail was allowed.