SCENE IN COURT.

Hokitika Guardian, 11 August 1925, Page 4

SCENE IN COURT.

LONDON. May 10 The eleven men charged with txurderilie William Plummer, aged .'53. an exsoldier, cd' Sheffield, who died after being attacked by a gang in the street, were present at the inquest yesterday. They were brought hv train lrcrn I.eeds in the early hours of the morning, lmndeiifi'od and under a guard of armed warders. th J. Kenyon Parker, the coroner. ■ aid that the police had given him statements from (id witnesses, hill it would he unnecessary to cull them all. >1 rs Elizabeth Plummer, the widow, said that she saw seven or eight men attack Plummer. Lawrence powder, one of Ihe accused, struck him on the head with a poker. Her husband shouted: “Come on! One a I a time.” She said to her husband: “Hun. dork: ,t hey won't fight fair." he ran down the street, with the two kowleis after him. Wilfred l ewder, anothei prisoner, took a scooter from a hot and threw it at her husband, but missed. Wilfred. Fowler had a razor. Mrs Plummer identified four of the men. Then she turned again, looked at one of them, and in a piercing voice exclaimed : " You I” Tinning to the coroner. Mrs Plomiii ■ r raid. “ No, I cannot - - and burst into tears. William Holden, of l’rineess-street, said that lie urged Ploinmer to escape. '■ |!ut- he stood like a hero and fought them all,” said Holden. "Had he taken them on one by mej he could have settled the whole gang.” .Mrs iiose l.em, of Princess-street, said she saw Dm two Fowlers attack Ploinmer. Pointing at the two brothers, she exclaimed in a. voice ringing with indignation: ■'ion and you pinned him when he slipped oil the tramway.” Pointing at Lawrence Fowler, she said: • While he was down you kept iahhiug him in the stomach.” A smile spread over the faces of the two men. and this increased the woman’- anger, liaising her list, she said: “ Don't grin at me. or I will hit you.” The coroner to .Mrs T.em : "It is not a grinning maftor for them or anyone else.” The inquest was adjourned until tomorrow.