CRICKETER BOWLED OUT

NZ Truth, Issue 1191, 27 September 1928, Page 10

CRICKETER BOWLED OUT

Tattersall Smacked To Leg By The Legal Umpire (Prom "N.Z. Truth's" Special Auckland Representative.) "How's that?" "Well hit, Sir." Yes, eoery cricketer thrills to the exultation of those popular shouts when the eleven is m arid piling up the score. And m his time Henry James Tattersall, of Wellington, and wellknown throughout the sporting world as an ex-New Zealand representative wlelderofthe willow, has known the music of that "Well hit, sir!"

YES, sir, he has. But, alas if or Henry! He has heard the shout of another umpire — to wit, the stern occupant of the bench of the Oriehunga Magistrate's Court, who knocked Tattersall to leg to some tune last week, when he was fined £ 5 and bound over to keep the peaoe for twelve months on charges of assault and using Indecent language. He was clean bowled — and T«ttereall's bails went flying. The story of Tattersall's ' adventure that led to his appearance m Court was not without Its piquant details. It all happened thla way. To -begin with, Tattersall pleaded guilty to the charges and It was left to Sergeant Cruickshank to proceed with the case jn respect to Edward Thomas Stacy, a taxi-driver, who appeared with the cricketer on a charge of assault. Stacy pleaded not guilty. The eternal feminine crept Into the story and once again a woman provided — though quite innocently, m this case — the reason for all the rumpus. Her name was Alice Jane Halkett and it was alleged that Tattersall and she had lived together m Wellington. But apparently the course of true love did not run smoothly, for they parted and Mrs. Halkett shook the dust of the Empire City from her feet. She departed for the north, settling m Onehunga. Tattersall, however, had not forgotten his former lady love, for he also found his way up to s Onehunga. Oh the evening of September 6, the little affair which cost him more than he had bargained for was staged. Leaving a picture-show that evening, Mrs. Halkett, accompanied

by two women friends, proceeded homeward down th,e street. En route, they were approached by Tattersall and Stacy. Tattersall, without any .preamble, it waa stated, gripped Mrs. Halkett round the neck and then hit one of the other women — Mrs. Davidson. , This accomplished, a determined attempt was made to get Mrs. Halkett into a taxi, but these crude methods of carrying off the lady were not viewed with favor by those who witnessed the little comedy-drama— and the move to bundle her into the car was frustrated. Mrs. Halkett, m evidence, told of what had occurred. She went on to tell the court that the taxi-man got hold of her and said to Tattersall: "This, is no good to me." Mrs. Davidson saw Stacy grab hold of Mrs. Halkett's arm. But when it came to saying his piecei Stacy denied haying touched any woman that evening. His story was that he had been engaged by Tattersall to drive him out to Onehunga to get his wife, but he was neyer within five yards of Mrs. Halkett. Tattersall backed up Stacy m this, but the women were positive that It was the- taxi-driver who had caught hold of Mrs. Halkett, although they could not swear that Stacy was the man. . Lawyer Snedden, who appeared for both men, suggested to the bench that so far as Stacy was concerned, he should be given the benefit of the doubt, as ' the female witnesses could not swear that he was the man who had participated m the affair with Tattersall. Stacy came oft! the better of the two, the penalty m his case being a modest fine of £2. . ii)iiiiiiiiiuiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiuniiiiuiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiuiiii