RESIDENT MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume IX, Issue 303, 8 September 1874, Page 2

RESIDENT MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

SPRING GROVE. [Before L. Broad, Esq., R.M., and Hugh Martin, Esq., jun., J.P.] MONDAY, September 7. ASSAULT. Krause v. Hagan. Mr Fell appeared for the defendant. The information in this case was peculiarly worded, running as follows : ''Complaint hath been made that you hath been guilty of backing your horse on to one Adolphus Krause with the intention of kicking him, contrary to the form of statute in such case made and provided." Adolphus Krause: I am a tanner living at Spring Grove. On the 6th of July last I was in the school-house attending a lodge of Good Templars. I filled the office of outer guard, part of my duties being to see that no one disturbed the meeting. Defendant was outside on horseback accompanied by another, and was singing out with an air of authority, " Open the blinds that we can look in." I stepped outside, and as soon as he saw me he backed his horse on to me, and the horse's heels covered me with muck. I stepped back, or I might have been knocked down. There was a crowd outside, a lot of people making a noise. Cross-examined : There might have been seven or eight lads outside, some of them bigger than the defendant. The horse was three or four feet from me, He did not strike me. Defendant made use of bad language. Walter Forster : I was at the lodge that night. I was inner guard, but (For continuation see fourth page.)

went outside for some water. I saw Krause come out. Defendant turned his horse, and made it kick at him. Stephen Leaver gave somewhat similar evidence. Case dismissed. ASSAULT. Lines v. Currin. Mr Pitt appeared for plaintiff, and Mr Fell for defendant. Alfred Lines : I am the complainant. On Friday week I was going through Richmond, in a dray, when the defendant came to the front part of the dray and asked me what business I had to walk down the road with a young girl whose name he mentioned. He then went round and jumped in at the back of the dray, and as he got in I got out, to avoid being pulled out. I fell on my back on the road, and before I could recover myself he struck me several times with his fist on the head. I gave him no provocation beyond walking with the girl. Some gentleman pulled him off me. I made a hit at him when he was in the dray to keep him off. Cross-examined : The young girl is Currin's sweetheart. I was rather familiar walking down the road with her one evening. It is true I put my arm round her waist. I did not try to kiss her. I have known her from childhood. Other evidence having been given to prove the assault, defendant was fined 1s, without costs. ASSAULT Palmer v. Hall and Holden. Mr Pitt appeared for plaintiff, and Mr Fell for defendants. John Palmer : I am the complainant. Hall came to my house on Saturday evening about eight o'clock, and about eleven I went into the bar. I bolted the bar door and went into the store. Hall followed me into the dining room, seized me by the beard, dragged me out of the house, and plunged me into a tub of water. I had given him no provocation. I afterwards went to the constable. Cross-examined : I was sober, and had been so all the evening. I remember throwing a glass of water, glass and all, at Hall. I threw it to put out the light as it was time he went home. Hall dragged me out. He has done this on previous occasions. George Walker : I am constable. Palmer came to my place that night about eight o'clock. His face was all over blood, his hands bloody, and his nose bleeding. He was wet all over, and his boots and pockets were full of water. John Palmer, re-called: About 11 o'clock that night I saw Holden and his wife and George Tomlinson. I asked Holden and his wife to go home. He knocked me down and kicked me when I was down. He struck me with his fist afterwards on the nose. The bruises on my leg now shown (the leg was black from the thigh to the ancle) were caused by his kicking me. Cross-examined : I did not throw a bucket of water over Mrs Holden. I did not get an axe handle and strike, them. George Tomlinson proved the assault by Holden. George Morgan and Mark Newth were called to prove that Palmer was sober. For the defence Mr Fell called Albert Palmer, who said: l am son of the complainant. On the Saturday evening he was not sober and was most abusive. He put out all the lights except that in the store. I saw him running about making a noise. He struck at me with a box of matches. Tomlinson is not a particular sober man. He owes us a lot of money. He is too fond of beer. I saw my father flourishing an axe handle. He was not sober. He gets very excited when he has taken a little drink. That to evening, he was particularly excited. Mrs Palmar : I am the wife of complainant. I was in the store that evening. I remember seeing Hall following my husband through the dining room, but did not see him drag hi out. We heard a noise and ran out, and saw Palmer and Hall both in the water butt. Hall was quiet. He never interferes with Palmer. My husband took up an axe handle, but only walked about with it. Cross-examined : Palmer always gets excited when Hall comes to the house. Charles Stratford : I was at Palmer's about 6 o'clock, and stayed about an hour in the bar. Palmer and myself had several glasses of ale together, and the result was that we quarrelled as usual. He was very abusive to me. Cross-examined : I drank three glasses with Palmer. He was not sober when I was there. Hall was fined £3 and costs, or in default to be imprisoned for fourteen days, and bound, over to keep the peace for six months, himself in £20, and two sureties of £10 each. Holden was fined £5 and costs, or in default one month's imprisonment. It was also decided that a copy of the evidence be sent to the Licensing Court, with the view of getting the complainant's license cancelled. WORRYING SHEEP. Lucas and another v. Eden. This was an action to recover £5, the value of certain sheep alleged to have been worried by defendant's dog. Mr Fell appeared for the plaintiffs and Mr Gully for the defendant. Evidence having been taking at some length judgment was given for the plaintiffs for £3 6s and costs.