"THERE’S BLOOD UPON MY NOSE, AND WELL I KNOW IT.”

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume X, Issue 1094, 1 July 1882, Page 4

"THERE’S BLOOD UPON MY NOSE, AND WELL I KNOW IT.”

The Sydney Daily Telegraph says :— A most amusing case come before the Central Police Court, and for the time being kept all present in a state bordering on convulsions, the dignity of the Bench not being proof agaiust its exceeding comicality. A man named William Gillon stood charged ■“ with that he did, at noon on that day, assault and beat one Samuel Hunt.” The defendant was a strangelooking specimen of humanity. A barrow-man by “ profession ” carrying on his calling in the fruit market adjacent to the temple of justice in which he then appeared, Mr Gillon had apparently arrived at that age when gentleman of his class cease to change ■or get older. Greyheaded, innocent ■of soap, wholly blind of one eye, and partically so the other, he looked every inch a fossil barrowman, and a very remarkable specimen of the species at that. The circumstances of the assault were that he and the prosecutor (who did not appear in court until called) had some conversation about the barrow business, the latter also being in that line and prosecutor having made some reference to defendant’s neglect to take out a license, and thus pursuing his calling legitimately, he (the defendant) emote the prosecutor, who fell and struck his nose against a barrow on which he had been sitting. The

41 claret ” flowed freely, and Hunt proceeded to the police office a sanguinary spectacle, to tell of his wrongs. The consequence was that Gillon was locked-up, and subsequently brought before Mr Crane. Defendant stoutly ■denied the charge, and said the prosecutor was “ bad on his lege,” and had {alien down and hurt himself. This he was prepared to swear on a stack cf good books. The prosecutor was a gaunt man of Hibernian origin, with weak eyes and trembling lips, which seemed constantly to be muttering something. “ He hit me wid his fist, wid all his etringth, yer Worship; I’ll swear it on the Holy Bible, sor!” said the prosecutor. Mr Crane (trying to look serious »nd failing) : 41 Hush, witness 1” Prosecutor: “ Well that’s true, be all that’s holy ; Lord love you ; and here’s what he did to me ” —(pointing to a well developed proboscis, considerably damaged and sanguinary). “ Don’t believe it, sir,” said the defendant. 41 It was all along of them legsef his, which is dreadful weak. You see we both live in the same lodgings, and he usee bad language to me, and he abused me coming to the station. Call the constable and see if he didn’t?” In reply to Mr Crane, the constable i mud that prosecutor had made use of Laome choice expressions in reference the accused, as they were coming to

the station. Mr Crane lasted the witness what he had to swy to this. Hunt replied that ht> his Maker to witness that he didn’t know any bad words, and wouldn’t use them to save his soul alive ! Mr. Crane settled the matter between the barrowmen by fining the defendant 40s. or 14 days’ gaol. Defendant: “ I’ll go to gaol quite cheerfully." Mr Crane: “ Very well, but I’ll give you time to pay.” Defendant: “ How much ?” Mr. Crane: “A week.” Defendant: “Ah ! that’s too small for the profits on my business ; make it a fortnight.” Mr Crane: No; a week.” Defendant: “ All right, your Worship. I'll come up to time. And (aside to the prosecutor) the Lord help you when I get you home to the bashhouse ; I’ll lay up to ye, my boy.”— Exeunt ownee.