"A FISTFUL IN THE EYE!"

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIX, Issue 96, 13 August 1914, Page 5

"A FISTFUL IN THE EYE!"

YOUNG GERMAN'S QUEER ACTIONS IN SOUTHLAND. [Prb Pbebh Association i Invercargill, August 12. At the Police Court to-day, an apparently young man, with a long beard, namer Werner Tobin, was charged with on August 10, at Fort Rose, carrying loaded firearms to the common annoyance of his Majesty's subjects. Accused, who is a German, and who resided on the hanks of the Mataura River, was in the habit of carrying a repeater rifle about with him, with which he said he was going to shoot Britishers. Two constables had been senfc out to the district, and had kept a watch over the accused's hut all night. This morning, when ho came outside, they arrested him. On going into the hut, the police found a double-barrellel breach-loading gun, which was loaded, and a rifle. There was also the repeating rifle, which the defendant carried with him in the daytime when he went to work in the bush. The Inspector of Police asked for a remand for seven days, to enable the police to secure evidence that accused was not right in the head. At this stage the accused adopted an aggressive attitude. He said he would let any man know he was right in the head. If anyone said he wasn't he would ' 'get a fistful in the eye, followed by another from the other hand." Waving his arms about, he declared : "Yes, I will hit anyone on the nose, too, who says I am not right in the head." He then gave the top of his head a violent slap, and said: "This head God Almighty has given to me. lam not a murderer. I only carried a rifle for sport." In answer to a question from the Bench, accused said he was a German, and not naturalised. He did not think he had proved a nuisance to anybody. He spoke in excellent and fluent language. The Magistrate adjourned the case for seven davs.