A CRY IN THE NIGHT

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 17, 11 April 1927, Page 11

A CRY IN THE NIGHT

AND ITS SEQUEL ASSAULT ON CONSTABLE A woman’s scream—a piercing shrill cry that rose above the traffic noises of the city at half-past nine last Wednesday night. Constables O’Connor and Hickey stopped dead in their stride, and listened. There it was again, louder and more piercing than before. On the ground in the dimly-lit lane lay a woman, screaming out at the top of her voice, and over her a man stood threateningly. The constables drew their batons and approached the pair. They were taking no chances. Constable Hickey enquired what was the matter, and for answer the man swung round and lashecl out a straight left, which just missed the policeman’s face. Constable O’Connor thought it was about time he took a hand, and promptly closed with his companion’s assailant.

A blow on the jaw was his reward. Then ensued a struggle in which the constable threw his man, and attempted to handcuff him.

The woman, whose screams had brought them into Theatre Lane, took a hand in the fight at this stage, and her attentions prevented Constable O’Connor from handcuffing the man. Between them however the representatives of law and order succeeded in persuading the man to “go quietly," and in due course he found himself in the lock-up. This, in effect, was the story the constables told in the Police Court this morning, when Thomas Nizich, a young Dalmatian, was charged with assaulting Constable O’Connor. Mr. Selwyn Clarke, who took up the legal cudgels for the Dalmatian, told the court that the woman in the case was the accused’s sister. She had been in the Dominion only a couple of years and spoke very little English. She wanted to go out that night; but her brother ran after her and was still trying to persuade her not to go when he was pulled violently from behind, the lawyer said. He did not know who his assailants were and only tried to defend himself. His sister threw her arms around his neck and pleaded with the constables not to take him. It was alleged that Constable O’Connor had hit Nizich with his baton. Both policemen in their evidence denied using their batons, although they had drawn them. “ I am quite certain that the constables’ version is correct. They were in full uniform and he should have recognised them,” said Mr. Hunt, after listening to what everybody had to say, “ Forty shillings or seven days.”