"LAUGHING PRINCE"

NZ Truth, Issue 1201, 6 December 1928, Page 4

"LAUGHING PRINCE"

Woman Throws Verbal Bouquet At S.M. Mosley AN AMUSING SCENE IN COURT (From "N.Z. Truth's" Special Christchurch Representative). - Of the- three resident magistrates stationed m Christchurch, S.M. Mosiey is'the^east stern when presiding m a judicial capacity. Frequently lie displays surprising tolerance towards the freakish specimens of humanity which find their way into court, but the slightest 'suspicion of a witness having, armed himself . or herself with a little "Dutch courage" beforehand very quickly exhausts his patience. ' • -

HE was confronted with such a person m a recent assault case, but before he had ordered the witness to stand down, she had enacted one of the most humorous interludes ever heard m a court of law 1n New Zealand. The police were prosecuting a man for assaulting a woman, but the injured woman protested the accused's innocence and was treated as a hostile witness. The principal witness for the police was a woman who ■ araa m tVi ° *><">"«» which was t h c scene of the alleged assault. When Sub-inspec-tor Fltzp atrlck called a witness, Teresa Russell,"Here," 1 chirped up' a squeaky • v.o ice from the back, of the coUrt,- and a thin .woman- of medium height, dressed- m 'a grey cos-tume-of acut much m favor a decade ago, stepped up .and took .her, place m the witness- tyox. "Your name is Tessie Russell?" asked tho sub-in-spector. "My name is Teresa Mary. Hayes," indignantly retorted- the witness.' Sub- inspector: All right, then. Tell us what you know about the assault. Teresa:. Well, as a matter of fact. I have forgotten. I was under the influence when he came home. Do you remember making a statement to the sergeant? — Aw, I dunno. Go along (impatiently), go along. "Address your remarks to the magistrate," sternly advised the subinspector. Wheeling round quickly to apologize to the bench for turning her back, Teresa observed Magistrate Mosley, like everyone else m the court, struggling to suppress a smile. "Ha, ha, Laughing Prince! You're a steeplechaser, eh?" Teresa observed. Then, adopting a more serious vein:

"Who am I supposed to be address"You tell me all about it," said the magistrate confidingly. "I am sorry to have to say it, but don't take any notice of the sub-inspector. YOU tell it all to me." "I think he is a bit of a hard case," interjected Teresa, wagging her finger knowingly m the direction of the white-haired sub, while the courtroom shook with convulsions of laughter. Nonplussed by the doubtful compliment accorded him, the sub-inspector again implored the woman to address the bench. "Come on, now," urged the magistrate. "All right, one fool at a time," replied the precocious Teresa. "He should not be where he is, you know; he is innocent," she declared, indicating the man m the dock. ' At this stage the magistrate asked "the woman ho w many drinks she nad had before coming to the court. "Aw, just one or two," she said with a disinterested air. "Well, get out of the box," the magistrate demanded. The sub -inspector commented that she should be taken m charge. "No you dtm't! No you don't!' screamed Teresa, as she made for the door; but Sergeant Fred Harrison headed her off m the passage and she could dimly be heard protesting as she was led round to the room where prisoners awaiting trial are held m custody. The magistrate adjourned the case for a day to allow the woman to sober up. When the case was finished with the next day,- she was charged with drunkenness, but the magistrate took a lenient view of her behavior, and she was convicted and discharged.