TARRED AND FEATHERED.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXIX, Issue 3769, 31 August 1907, Page 3

TARRED AND FEATHERED.

The Opunake Affair. Details of the Assault. Nmv Plymouth, Yesterday. About a month ago some people in the township of Opunake,, indignant at the alleged circumstances under which a man named Hill was living as a boarder in a house where he lodged, and having, it is stated, failed to induce him to leave the district, took united action, descending oh the house, and finishing up by tarring and feathering the victim. The circumstances were investigated at the S.M. Court before Mr Fitzherbert, to-day. The accused were—Charles Cameron, Daniel O’Sullivan, James Hickey, Harry Dickson, Charles Hodgson, Richard O’Dea, Oliver Cross, and George Looney, They were charged that on the 3rd of August, at Opunake, they did, together with divers other persons to the number of twenty or more, cause and take part in an unlawful assembly, being an indictable offence., Herman Edward Hill paid he had stayed,at Mrs Lister’s for ten weeks as a paying guest, at her own invitation. At about 8,30 on the night of August 3rd he got up from the fireside, remarking to his landlady: “If anybody comes for me I’m out I’m going to bed.’’ He went to his room, and shortly afterwards' there was a knock at the door. Mrs Lister accompanied hy her daughter, went to the door, Mrs; Lister taking a candle in her hand. Witness heard a question asked;: “Is Hill in?” Mrs Lister replied: “ No, he’s not in.” A voice asked : “ Where is he ? I want to see him on a factory matter,” Mrs Lister replied: “Down town, I suppose.” Someone replied in an authoritative tone : “ He’s not down town, Mrs Lister.” Witness heard shuffling, and heard Mrs Lister say: “Go out of ray house.” Witness said he then walked out of the bedroom through the sitting-room, and met Cameron. Just after that, and before he had time to look around, the back door of the kitchen was opened, and he was collared from behind, and bustled out of the house through the front door. He resisted, and his ejection was rough. Five or six men handled him, and he saw about twenty waiting outside. He was carried through the gate and bustled to about fifteen yards from the front door. He was thrown down on the road, and they pushed him along with their feet in a verj r rough manner. Subsequently one said : ‘ ‘ Where’s the rope? We’ll rope the —.” He thought O’Sullivan said this. He was struggling and shouting, and one tried to gag him with a handkerchief. Thej’- placed a half-inch rope round his waist, tied a slip noose, and dragged him along the uumetalled road. The sergeant: How did they drag you ? Witness : Just as a team ot bullocks would drag a log to a timber mill. Witness (continued); They dragged him for four chains and into a water table, where they threw mud and water in his face. Then they threw him out on an embankment. Witness heard someone say: “ Where is the tar and brush ?” and they started to tar his head, face, and ears, and then threw feathers on him. One struck a match to set fire to his hair. Then someone, unfastened his brace buttons at the back, held up his vest and shirt, and tarred his back. Then they hauled on the rope again and dragged him another four chains along the road to a small bridge, unrailed, where he was thrown bodily into the stream, which was about two feet six inches deep. The distance from the bridge to the water was about three leet six inches. Not liking to get themselves wet, they tried to pull him out again to the bridge. That proved impossible. He tried to crawl out on the shallow side, and was pulled back into the water. Then they kept pulling him from side to side, jerking him into the stream each time. He attempted to get out once or twice, but was kicked back. This went on for about five minutes. All were laughing, seemingly quite delighted with themselves. The noise could be heard full3 r 200 or 300 yards away. Nobody came to his assistance, and none remonstrated as far as he was aware. He was quite “doneup ” by this time. The tar was burning his face and eyes. Then they took him by force into a cottage near the bridge. There was a candle burning in the loom. They seized him, crjnng out, “apologise.” Looney held him down. They all sang out “Apologise! Apologise to this man,” referring to Lister. Witness asked; “ Apologise for,, what?. What do you want me to say?” Looney asked : “Will you leave town before da}dight in the morning?” Looney handed a pair of scissors to a man, and the latter cut witness’ hair. Constable Hickman then came on the scene, and all bolted by the back-door except Dickson, who called out, “ Don’t run away boys. Stay and see it through now.” Hickley returned, and said, in the presence of the constable, “If he doesn’t leave town we’ll do it again.” Witness accompanied the constable to the police station. Fully 20 men followed behind. When he arrived at the station he was cold and shivering, suffering from the effects of the tar. After receiving attention from the constable, he returned to his lodgings. He tried to borrow a revolver from the constable for self-protection, but this was refused. He left Opunake on the Monday afternoon, acting under

the advice of the constable. Witness had not, to his knowledge, given accused any cause to interfere with him. He was still suffering from the effects of the assault. Mrs Lister and her daughter gave evidence on somewhat similar lines. In the course of examination, the Magistrate said he could not understand how Mrs Lister should be in one house with Hill, and Mr Lister on a couch in another house. Constable Hickman also gave evidence of the disturbance. Accused pleaded not guilty, reserving their defence., and were committed for trial. ‘ Mr Spence asked for bail. The Magistrate remarked that this was a serious affair, and the first happening of the kind, he thought, in tHfef colony. These men broke into q. house, seized a man, dragged him. tarred and feathered him, dropped him into a creek on a winter's night, and then tried to compel him to make an apology- Had the man been delicate-," the consequences might have been very grave, and these men arraigned on a more serious charge. He would, however, admit the accused to bail, each in his own recognisance of and another surety of £25 each. Bail was immediately forth- -