PALMERSTON POLICE COURT.

Manawatu Times, Volume III, Issue 16, 28 December 1878, Page 2

PALMERSTON POLICE COURT.

Monday, Dec. 21, 1878. (Jjtafore his Worship the Mayor and <T, T. Stewart, Esq., J.P.) DRUNK IN A BAILWAY CABEIAOB. Peter Cooper was charged with- a breach of tho Pu^blw Wqi^s. Act m being artink m a railway carriago at Pahnersto^i, Iforth^on the 19th of December. Frank Smith deposed •. I nm a travelling plork on the Manawatu Line. Cyi tho eve;iiing of the, 19lh mat. I w.as on the. Liwiu, and left PtJmeraton station for Foxton at about li-.ilf- past- eight. I saw the accused on board, who was leaning.- against the guard, on the. plal form of tho lnst carriage. I asked for. liis fu re and heard Mr. is&tt aej^ for his ticket. He said ho had na ticket, and he said he was going to Awapuqi^ but had iv\ n:oney. I tokl liiia we wouli Uay-e to giro him m charge when we arrived m Foxton, and while. ]j vtas away,, h^. loffc the train. When the. trj»in got. toi Q;iiveit'« «hunt X gut oft hijcl, returned along the line with a lantern. The Maoris told mo lie hud jumped o#, I found him lyinj upon his back and breathing very heavily, about fijwt fret from the line. I left him and vcenfto the Pahnernton Hotel for assistance. After a short time I procured a butcher'j cart un ; l had him conveyed to Dr. . JVlac-lachlan'i. I ; then haiuloJ him over to tlnrpolice. Whan ha was on the train I did not think he W«u drunk, but the doylou aatia^cil me that > iiu was drunk. ■ George Henry Coltom being »wcrn ; I run station master at Paliiierston North, I know the accused. I saw hi -1 on tha platform on the evening m question, just pi-dvkmj to tha night train stunting, lie appeared to be drunk, as lie wai reeling about. JJ did nut know that he was going • by the train, nor did not see him euier it. Hu^h Ke!in,aJy Maelachlan disposed:. I am a nwdijjal p.ractyipner, residjng at P.il« merdton North, I have never seen the ac- . cuse;l unless 011 the occasion, te^whiou the charge vetevi. On tb.a night iiiqwcslion ho | was brought to my surgery, he was insensi-. ! bio and brea.th.ing heavily, and I examji^ed. ! him vt-rj carefully, but foun/^no serious in-] | [ juries, not eren a scalp wound. I fame to. I the conclusion he was under the influence, of drink, and shortly after being brought mhe vomited. I applied restoratives and/ ' cold water, and after some difficulty he became »u{B,oii;Rliy conscious to speak. As certified that it was perfect ly safe to. lock ! '■■ him up, the ooiistabljij. topk; him m charge, I saw him next morning when he appeared to havo suffered sotitp. severe spinal injury^ but no symptoms of any injuw'to thebrjin, as liia mind was perfectly clear. He is suffering very severely now from spinal injury, and probably may suSe/ fenr. aoma lime. Coti-jtaVjla G-iyispie stated that on the evening m question he roceiiocl the accused from Frank Smith on the charges of being drunk, and attempting to orade payment of railway fare. When he took him hit? custodj he was q^uvte insensible, evidently j from the effects of drink. l*he followinjg j morning I told him "what be wui charged with. He was then quite sensible, when he replied that he dul not remember anything about tho occurreneft, not even go* ting into tho itviisi, aiiknowlttdjin^ that Tie had been drinking a lit tit) during the day. The accused, w,hd bein* m a very weakly condition was acco;ninodateil> with n chair, ; hud not lung to. a'ay iii.d.eF:iniee, wa« further ; ch(ir<s.-d with trifreilini! m a unihray carri :ige, uo^ having paid tke proper fare ; ua>i quitting tho carriage the train being still m motion. .-■'.- The Bench after informing hin\ that he was liable lo be fined £10upou each charge, s;iid they wished to. infliot the lowest ponalty, us according to the medical t estimmiy he had received serious bodily m;- -; jury by his r;»sh action. They would therefore infticfc the na,ilig..ti'd penaH'r ol ten shillings oadi m the fir^t cases, aiid:J&l m the third, with casts, a,:uo,aiHiiig m all to £i lla.