EXTRAORDINARY CASE.

Shannon News, 11 March 1927, Page 4

EXTRAORDINARY CASE.

MAN SEVERELY ASSAULTED. COAT OF TAR AND KAPOC. An extraordinary tarring and feathering case was heard by Mr. T. E. ' Maunsell, S.M., at the last sitting of the Magistrate's Court at Murehison. Accused were Joseph Scholefield, An- < drew McDowell, William John Ford, ■ Henry Lester and a 15-year-old J)oy, • and they were charged with assault--1 ing Andrew Simpson at Matakitaki, ; near Murehison, on December 10 last, ■ and with smeaiing him with tar and ■ kapoc. ! The facts of the case, as related by ■ a number of. witnesses, were that as ; a result of letters alleged tc have been • written by Simpson to a young woman, it was decided that he should be tar- > red and feathered and the act was duly carried out, the unfortunate man being induced to visit a lonely spot by means of a letter purporting to be from the young woman.. Here he was ' waylaid, stripped and covered with i. tar and kapoc. SIMPSON TELLS HIS STORY. , Simpson's story of the assault was as follows: —"1 went to the appointed • spot at half-past eight in the evening. I The road goes into a hollow. I walk- [ ed in the middle of the road, when I I- came to two men, sitting on the side i of the road. I'suspected a trap when. ' I saw these men. I turned back when ; four more men met me, two from each » side of the road. They grabbed my ' hands and legs. I struggled with them, but. they got me down and Andrew Mci Dowell punched me and put his hand '■ over my mouth. He pressed my face ; down on the road and knelt on my j ; hands* He said if I called out any more he would kill me. Some of the 1 others took off my clothes, then put • tar and kapoc on me from the chest s down. During the struggle they hurt ■ my head on the gravel. After the tarring I asked for a breath and Arthur ■ McDowell filled my mouth with gravel. ■ There were six persons. They all got ■ hold of me. Andrew McDowell punch- • ed most of all.'' Mr. Joyce, on behalf of the accused, ; pleaded for leniency. He admitted that they had committed a grave • offence, but they did not realise the > enormity of their actions. They were, he pointed out, descendants of the "Lost Tribe,"' among whom lawless 1 ness reigned supreme. They did not know any better. THE MAGISTRATE'S REMARKS. The magistrate, in summing up, 1 said: "I regard this case as a very - serious one. If tar and feathers are to be allowed, what is the country 1 going to come to? This assault was premeditated and with absolutely no reason. They only saw two or three ' letters written by him containing nothing whatever to warrant their action. These men had the audacity to • form themselves into a court and con--1 demn this man. Where was their courage? Six men to waylay and attack a single man? Six . . J cannot very well have these men tarred and feathered, but I can send them to gaol. It must be distinctly understood ■ that tar will not be tolerated in this i country. Scholofield and McDowell, ■ being apparently the ringleaders, arc ■ sentenced to six weeks' imprisonment : with hard labour, and F<*rd and Lesi ter to one month's hard labour. Subsequently Henry Brookes was charged with being concerned iu the

affair, but the Information was dismissed for want of sufficient evidence. The boy of 15, who also took part in the affair, was dealt with by "the Children 's Court, which ordered 12 months' surveillance by the child welfare office. .. i.:iaLlil