WALL MAKES IT WILLING.

NZ Truth, Issue 101, 25 May 1907, Page 6

WALL MAKES IT WILLING.

Jags His Neighbor with a Knife.

Because man bears a high-rate character that is almost warranted not to wear out, nor to set shredded through contact with the tongue of calumny i; and if he is a churchman and a first-class collector of gonce, it doesn't follow that he won't .run off at a tangent and start cutting his fellow humans up. Some of his kidney are built that way, a/nd when their angelic tempers get ruffled they are capable of some pretty strong things. Michael Wall, farmer, 'of Ha-! swell, Canterbury, is a case m point. Mick is one. of the boss helpers of his own particular sky-pilot out there ; his reputation for piety is of the highest, and he can dig spuds. The latter recommendation is just chucked m as ballast, so td speak. Yet, last month bo set out to carve ibis netfgjhlbfor, John McDru*ry, who lives opposite, and who tickles the lawd for a living likewise. He is.. a bachelor, fs John, but has a nejjfcew as com.panin.rii.. T3ve' trouble that happened was caused by a yarn, that was floating round that Wall was sai the -hialbift of walloping his miss-* us; he'haid heard itet McDrury had mentioned the matter to a cha-p named Costin, and he crossed over to interview McDrury on the points According! iio the latter, as soon as Wall entered his house he mentioned the matter, and threatened McDrury that lie would "do for him." The other rose from his chair ami pushed the visitor outside Hie door, telling him to 'gat away home and behave himself and not to come there making, a row. Wall then turned' round and rusted at him, -but he retaliated by .throwing him on the ground. The under man then veiled, "Don't strike me while lam down." He was ■'let up and' told to vamoose, but he only MADE ANOTHER RUSH, and McDrury felt some thong stinging m his shoulder A He didn't see any weapon m the man's hand, but thought he'd .try to get whatever was Jere ; so he downed Ms man some more, and he was ■ s'taOA l^ 1 " while lying there, Wall's sen then can\e along, ■took Jris irate d-ad lioniie, and sent for a doctor, McDrury 'being taken to the hospital, where he remained some time. Four different wounds y/^re inflicted during; the melee. At the Supreme Court there were a couple of coun/ts m the indictment aifoa-inst the knifer — infi-icting grievous blodily harm intentionally, and assaulting the proseou'tor so as ta cause actual Tiodily harm. 'The, defoncoput fortih 'by lawyer liunt was t<ha<t Wall was cutting up toTracco at the time of his call, and had his open knife m tyis' 'hand during- the' i fracas.. He didn't, -maliciously stab' the prosecui'o" at all; it was quite accidental T-lic jury returned a verdict of guilty on tihe second, count— that of assaui'tv ca.tis lig' actual, bodily harm, and Mr Hunt asked for protection. Judge. ■ Chapman, said he couldn't grant such a request;-; ! he would treat the case as a magistrate would do ; it SV»-s someiihing more sotouk t-haai an ordinary ""assault* and" lie ' tbou'&Mf it would 'be anct fb'y ca sentence of one month's inajprisonirnent : without 'Sard labour. It is understood that McDrury intends sueing the prisoner for £200 m the civil court when he emerges from quod.