ONE-ARMED MAN PLAYS CAVALIER

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 123, 15 August 1927, Page 9

ONE-ARMED MAN PLAYS CAVALIER

INSULT TO LADY AVENGED AN EFFECTIVE DUMMY HAND I>ESEiMTING the persistence with which his woman friend was importuned by another man at a Salvation Army open-air meeting on Saturday night, Bertie Eugene Ernest Leydon, aged 43, a onearmed man, gave Him the thrashing of his life with a dummy hand. The importuner, when he gave evidence against Leydon on an assault charge at the Police Court to-day, was heavily bandaged about the bead, and had a big patch of skin missing from the side of his face. “YOU’RE ONE OF THEM” Joseph Michael Patrick Kielty said that he was at the Salvation Army meeting, and seeing Leydon and his companion, he said good evening to the woman. The woman replied that she did not know him, but he reminded her that she had served tea to him. Leydon swung round, saying, “You’re one of them, eh?” “and then he caught me with his dummy arm,” said witness. “He leathered into me that hard that I would have been done for if he hadn’t been pulled away,” added Kielty. NOT ON THE PROWL Air. Sullivan, accused’s counsel; Were you listening to the Salvation Army service? “Yes,” replied witness. Mr. Sullivan: Now, you were there to pick up a woman if you could, weren’t you? “No I wasn't,” said witness, “and I don’t want women anyway.” “The woman told you to go away twice?” asked counsel. “No,” replied -witness, “she had no time to get it out a second time before the man was into me.” Kielty admitted touching Leydon on the back during the argument. HIS LADY INSULTED Leydon, in evidence, said that Kielty kept telling his companion that he knew her, and when witness was satisfied that she did not, he told Kielty to go away. “I thought lie was going to punch me,” said witness, “so I struck Kielty with my good hand.” “I thought the incident was then closed.’’ added witness, “but Kielty rushed at me from behind, and we fell struggling to the ground. He gripped me by the throat and I had to defend myself.” A Salvation Army Officer who witnessed the affair said that Kielty had certainly given offence to Leydon, but Leydon had struck the first blow, although he was attacked from behind the second time. The magistrate, Mr. E. C. Cutten, dismissed the information.