"HUNTING A DEBTOR."

Patea Mail, 14 October 1880, Page 3

"HUNTING A DEBTOR."

The blow struck at. Constable Burrows, in the midnight struggle to take F. Williamson into custody, caused a serious wound in the temple. When Burrows burst the door of the bush cottage and procured a light, he saw Williamson raising a bottle to strike. Burrows rushed at him to anticipate the blow, and was so close when tbe bottle

hit him that..the blow did much less injury than if struck with a long swing. A contused wound half an inch deep was caused by the bottle tearing (not cutting) the flesh. Burrows was knocked senseless, and fell fainting. Constable McPheoly, a powerful combatant, pushed forward and grappled with Williamson in the darkness; got him down, and held him while Burrows was reviving from the faintness. They

managed to get handcuffs on, but Williamson, when, partly released, fought frantically and wrenched the handcuffs apart. A .second pair were were then put on, and lie .was roughly dressed and compelled to go to Waverley, being thence forwarded to New Plymouth gaol. Constable Burrows is a courageous officer, and entitled to much credit in this matter. He must suffer awhile from the serious wound on the temple, besides a soreness in one shoulder, and several cuts on the hands. Both officers did their duty like men. We are asked to state that Mr McGregor was not a party to the application at the Patea District Court for a

warrant to apprehend the debtor. It was stated in evidence that Mr McGregor had been acting with Mr Taplin in trying to bring the debtor to justice, and that lie was concerned in that application, although it was not being made in his name. We are entitled to report what was stated in Court as evidence for the Judge to act upon. We held the report over at that time in order that the end of justice might not be defeated by premature publicity. Mr Hamerton, solicitor in the case, writes to say that “ Mr McGregor was not a party before the Court to the proceedings which' resulted in Mr F. Williamson’s arrest. They were initiated by Mr Taplin himself filing a petition under the Debtors arid Creditors Act 1876, and the Amending Act.”