ASSAULT WITH INTENT TO ROB.

Globe, Volume XXIII, Issue 2326, 17 September 1881, Page 3

ASSAULT WITH INTENT TO ROB.

At the Ashburton Resident Magistrate’s Court yesterday, before Mr J. Nugent Wood, R.M., Dr, Trevor and Mr H. T. Winter, J.P’s, Jas. Nolan and Henry Hargreaves were charged with hiving, on S'.h inst., assaulted Geo. White with intent to rob him.—Geo. White, laborer, in the employ of Mr Car'er, of Tinwald. deposed to having be ,n in Astburton on the Bth at the Hoyal H o’.el, which he (White) left qnite sober at balf.past ten at right. Returning homewards he, at the south end of the Ashbnrton-Tiuwald bridge, saw two men. He stooped to tie a shoo lace, whereupon one of the accused caught hold of the collar of his coat from behind. This man asked witness if he had any money. Witness replied “ No.’’ He gave witness a severe blow under the right ear. The blow knocked him down. He then received a blow on the left cheekbone and another on the mouth, which rendere I him sensele s Four of his teeth were loosened and one knocked out. On recovering he found both trousers’ pockets turned inside out. One man bad held witness down, while the other stood a little distance away. Witness identified Nolan as the man who struck him in the face, but failed to reoognue the other man. The night was a bright moonlight one. Witness lost consciousness from the time of the assault, until the following morning. John Groves deposed that, as he was coming in from Tinwald on the eve ning of the Bth instant, on reaching the bridge he saw Nolan on the top of the prosecutor. Witness saw Nolan strike White. After some altercation Nolan walked away alone in the direction of Tinwald. Just before coming up to White and Nolan, witness met a man of similar appearance to Hargreaves, a hundred yards away from Nolan. When Nolan got oS White witness noticed that White was bleeding and that, although witness had known White for a long time, he was unrecognisable through being so much knocked about and covered with blood. Witness left White on the bridge and went in quest of the police.—Thomas Shields, blacksmith, Tinwald, deposed to having crossed the bridge from Ashburton about eleven o’clock on the night in question. Witness picked np White, who lay insensible, cut and bleeding about the face. His pockets were turned inside out. Witness took him homo.— Marcus Scott, Isndlcrd, Tinwald Hotel, deposed that ne saw the prisoners at a quarter past eleven. They had left the hotel that forenoon. and witness h- d promised them shakedowns. On their return Nolan complained of being lame, as be had - p-ain»d bis ankle on the bridge. Sotn tee accasou had worked for the same employer. TVitness had known White a long time as a very quiet and inoffensive man. —Ebenezer Broadfoot, carpenter, at present residing at the Tinwald Hotel, deposed to having seen the prisoners shortly after eleven o’clock. He noticed that Hargreaves’ right hand was covered with blood. Wm Toppin, assistant barman at the Boyal Hotel, deposed that he saw both the accused together at the Royal on the night in question. They left shortly before eleven o'clock, having been told to go out. Geo. White left the hotel before the accused. When Nelan was in a room in the hotel he saw Hargreaves about to go in, and waved his hand to warn Hargreaves back. White, the prosecutor, was then in the room. Hargreaves went back from this room into the bar-room. —Con stable Daly, stationed at Ashburton, deposed to having seen Nolan at the Somerset Hotel about ten o’clock. He said ho was camped by tberiver. Afew minutes a! terw.irds witness saw Hargreaves. Afterwards Nolan and Hargreaves met, and witness observed them go towards the bridge. A quarter of an hour later witness saw White going in the same direction.—Mounted-constable Neill, stationed at Ashburton, deposed that he went to Tinwald on the 12th inst., and arrested Hargreaves in a straw stack in a paddock, shortly after 7 o’clock in the morning. The trousers (produced) were those Nolan wore on the night in question. These witnesses’ evidence closed the case for the proso-ution. Nolan reserved his defence. Hargreaves stated that, on the evening of the Bth inst., a paper bog containing flonr was thrown at him. To avoid the fleur he stooped, and in doing so fell on the pavement and cut his hand and forehead. Hargreaves added that Mr Hughes of Montgomery’s and a dozen other people saw this occurrence. The prisoners were both committed to take their trial at the next criminal sittings of the Supremo Court in Christchurch.