FISTICUFFS!

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXX, Issue 3, 21 August 1914, Page 6

FISTICUFFS!

SPARWATH V. DIAMOND. THE AFTERMATH IN THE COURT At the Court tliis morning W. Diamond proceeded against W. S. V. AY Sparwath, charging Him that PoH Augast Ist he did assault and beat informmt. Mr Stanford appeared f or'irif orrriant. Defendant was not represented by counsel.

Informant, in evidence, said he painted a sign 26ft long for defendant, at a of 35s'. Witness called every other day for the but was always put off. On August Ist he •vent into defendant's shop between •2.30 and 3 p.ml and asked fbtr the money, but defendant said he would aot pay until Monday. Witness went mit ahd returned later, informing sparwath that unless the mbhey was paid hi'half an hour he would be summoned. Witness'left' the shop again,jtid when he was half way across Broadway Sparwath called' him' back. When witness reached him Sparwath ait him a violent blow on the chesj;, followed by a severe blow on the jaw. If the blow had struck a ■ little lower ;t would have Hit a plate which had had to be put in because of a broken jaw as a result of an accident and had ?ost £45. At tHe. time the blows were •(truck witness' had some-lulls in one liand and a paste bucket in the other :md he did not return the blow. The wound on the jaw bled profusely. A friend wiped the blood away and witness went into Mr Biitchart's shop. If people had seen the blood on him they night have thought he was "boozed," which would not do in the case of a business man who. was always before the public.

Cross-examined: Witness did hot say that if the money was not paid in half .in hour he would "get even" with him. It, was nine days before August Ist when the sign was delivered. After the occurrence Spanvath was kicked by Eileen Bernard, a little girl,-wit-ness' step-daughter, who said: "You big coward, to hit a man like that with the paste bucket and the bills in his hands."

Robert William McDonald and Mrs G. Foreman substantially corroborated the evidence 'of informant.

Sparwatb, in the box, said he was born' in Copenhagen, Denmark, but was now a naturalised British subject. The amount had been owing to Diamond for about five days: On August ■ Ist Diamond came into the shop and asked for the money. Witness said 1 he would pay it during the evening. Diamond said: "If it's not paid within half an hour I'll get even with you.'' Diamond went out and witness reflected on his words and became' angry with them. Witness ran out and called Diamond back and by the way' Diamond made towards him he thought he was K oin g to hit him. When' witness left the spot he was kicked by a young lady, who said: "You wretch! You coward! I'll get even with you!" He understood that Diamond intended to challenge him to a- twenty-round pugilistic bout at the Town Hall. Defendant (to informant): Is that so? Informant: Rounds of toast. The S.M. said it would not be necessary to have any further evidence. Defendant bad been quite honest about the occurrence, but the fact remained that he had taken the law into his own hands. At a time like the present it was inadvisable to have breaches of the peace, especially when one party was of foreign extraction. Smaller things had led to serious riots when people were in a stato of excitement. A fine of £1 was imposed, with solicitor's fee £2 2s, and witness' expenses 10s.