A HECTIC CAREER.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVI, Issue 2819, 4 December 1924, Page 2

A HECTIC CAREER.

SLY GROG AT ASHBURTON. STRUGGLE WITH POLICEMAN. Christchurch, November 29 A struggle between a policeman and a sly-grog seller, during which a bailiff was called from his bath to help the constable, led to an interesting court ease at Ashburton. In the hearing of the case the sly-grog seller became excited and tried to assault the prosecuting officer. Twenty-three bottles of whisky in straw jackets, an empty beer jar and an enamelled mug decorated the court furniture. James Oliver Scott was charged with having assaulted a police constable who was in the execution of his duty, with having kept liquor for sale in the no-license district of Ashburton, and with having damaged a necktie valued at 5/6‘. Mr T. Milliken, of Christchurch, appeared for Seott, who pleaded guilty to all three charges. Scott’s history for the last year or two appears to have been a fairly hectic one and the circumstances which led to his arrest are certainly peculiar. It seemed as though fate this time was on the side of the authorities. On the evening of November 8, Scott was motoring along the south-east belt at Ashburton, when the car in which he was travelling troke down. LTnfortunately for Seott the mishap occurred outside the residence of Constable A. White. There were others in the car with Scott. The constable soon appeared on the scene and when he endeavoured to detain Scott the latter grabbed him by the throat and said “I’ll do for you.” The constable’s calls attracted his wife, who went out, but she could not assist. A further alarm was given, and Mr I. Falwell, the Ashburton bailiff was enjoying a tub when the call for help came, but he quickly hopped from the bath, slipped into some clothes and went to the constable’s assistance. Scott was arrested. Senior Sergeant Jackson said accused had not worked for some years, but mixed with the lowest class of man, living on'undesirables and unfortunates. The senior sergeant added that Scott lived with his brother, who was a thief. This remark excited Seott, who rushed towards the senior sergeant, shouting: “It’s a lie, it's a lie. There is no record.” The senior-sergeant: There is a record all right. “It’s a lie,” again replied Scott. The magistrate, Mr Mosley, ad\ised Seott to behave himself and •ie calmed down a good deal, though still mumbling “It’s a lie, it’s a lie.’ Mr Milliken remarked that Scott had «. great affection for his brother and his action in court was due io this. Counsel perused Scott’s list, a fairly lengthy one, and stated that the offences extended only from 1921, prior to which Scott was a decent mail and had worked on the railway and on tramways. It was only since lie came to Ashburton that he had committed the offences. Counsel could not imagine Seott stopping outside the policeman’s house had he not been muddled with drink. Scott knew he was in trouble and probably "was endeavouring to attract the attention of the policeman while the others got the car away. $ The magistrate noticed in Scott’s list a conviction for assault. @ Senior Sergeant Jackson pointed out that this referred to an incident in which Seott assaulted the doorkeeper at Fuller’s Opera House, iff Christchurch. Mr Mosley said the ease was as bad as it could be. There was no mitigating circumstances. Scott was a notorious sly-grog seller and he had never shown any signs of regret. What a man like Scott needed was a term of imprisonment and three years’ reformative treament. “Unfortunately,” sajd the magistral te “I have not the power to order this.” For assaulting the policeman Scott was sentenced to one month’s imprisonment with hard labour. He received three months’ imprisonment with hard labour for sly grog selling and the other charge was dismissed.