An Assault in Court.

Manawatu Herald, 21 May 1903, Page 3

An Assault in Court.

The usual quietude which marks the ■ittings of the Magistrate’s Court was disturbed on Tuesday morning during the hearing of a civil action, in which Flora M’Dougal sped Hubert Wright for the sum of £4. The defendant is 1 well-known as the keeper of the donkeys which parade the sands at Day’s Bay. The plaintiff, an elderly woman, had commissioned Wright to do some work for her, and, not satisfied with it, was seeking a refund. Wright stated that he did the work required faithfully and well, and his charge was moderate. Plaintiff was in a state of excitement during the early stages of the case, but grew violent when Wright called a witness who bore out his statements. Leaving her seat, she rushed upon the defendant and overwhelmed him with her; size and her fists, a pummelling before the Bailiff (Mr Gordon) could pull her off the crouching man. . , . Speaking in stern reprimand to the violent women, the Magistrate (Mr W. R. Haselden), who had previously cautioned her about the way she had addressed the witnesses, said that people must not so far forget themselves and misbehave in a Court of justice as she had done. The woman —“ It is not a Court of Justice, It is a Court of injustice. She added that all the parties were in a conspiracy against her, and named the Magistrate and the Clerk of Court as taking sides against her, and vehemently denounced everybody. Finally, she gave way to tears. The defendant,©® recovering breath, said that the woman had attacked him In exactly the same furious way the other day in one of the city streets after the case had been adjourned. He wanted to give her in charge, but there was no policeman about. His Worship (addressing the woman) _<> Have you anything to say why you should not be committed for contempt of Court?” ' The woman—“ No. . She was sentenced to four days imprisonment for having committed an assault within the precincts ot the Whilst judgment was being delivered the bailiff and Court orderly (Mr Johnson was keeping guard over the woman. The orderly then said —“ Come along with me.” Rising from her seat in a seeming spirit of meekness, she proceeded to follow the orderly, but when passing Wright the woman again pounced upon the plaintiff, and had given ihim another pummelling before the bailiff god orderly bad polled her off,

Naturally Wright, who suffers from a weak heart, was very much upset by the incident, and had to be taken away to rest awhile. . His Worship, dealing with the civil action which had given rise to this exciting interlude, gave judgment for the defendant, with £i costs. —Post.