VIGOROUS COURTING

Hokitika Guardian, 9 February 1929, Page 6

VIGOROUS COURTING

JUDGE ON USE OF KNIVES. “ft is ten-blo the way boys and men seem to use knives lately to force theii a (Feet imi on people who do not want them.” said Mr Justice Swift at the Old Hailey when sentencing James 'William Eugieiield, aged *26. a paint-spray-er, to pental servitude for three years for wounding with intent to harm Miss Nellie Russell, a pretty yound girl, by cutting at her throat with a razoi. Miss Russell was telling the court of thi' incident when she hurst into convulsive so!>s and fell hack, in the u it-neiss-chiiir. it was some time before she was able to resume her evidence. “You see. it is this way among the lower classes of people, like myself,” Knglelield told the Court. “When we go out with a girl first wo always want to know if she is attached to anybody else. Some hoys have gangs and it is a common thing for the lower-class girls to get into touch with these gangs to find out if their hoys are attached to ait vone else, in our case- ‘bringing over I In' gang’ was onlv bluff. 1 did not try to frighten her.” '['he jurv was asked by the defence to say Englefield committed the net under the in II nonce of unconi reliable jealousy, tin* “green-eyed monster.” Miss Russell said she and Englefield were sweethearts, and he spoke to her because she had gone out with another “hoy.” Hi' attacked her in the street as they were about to part on approaching her home in Warmington Road, North Kensington. Englefield afterwards wrote io her: “T wanted to die that night, hut hadn’t the nerve to do it. ft is in your hands whether Tgo in-

s:do (to prison) or not. Try to forgive and forget me.” Cross-examined: Miss Russell said she was fond of TCnglefield. ITe told the judge ho lost his head.