POLICE COURT.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXIII, Issue 114, 4 June 1901, Page 2

POLICE COURT.

JUosda.l', Ji.i.o 3icl. —Sofore I'lr R. j 'i'njii'vs'd, tS K. y A&Sil' LTING v SiI.VATIOS AiIMY oFt'MiJliß. ' Walter Ktrit'i w*w churgod with assaulting vv iUi'-im M<yl , of the Salvation Army, on Sunday, May 1 26 b. Mr Boy defended tuaa'cuspd, who pleaded not guilt}'. The case for the prosecution as outlined by Sw- 1 ge;nt Sta?poo!e was that the accused tried tofoica his way into the barracks whilst 8f rv'ce was proceeding, and bve'itually s' ruck complainant, who had bi en called by the doorkeeper, Mrs Butterworth, to assist in preventing accused fiom eet;ricg. Wm, Moyle bore out the above statement, find said thit accused stated he had as much right in -the barracks ; as witness, and would not go out him or anyone els*. Witness used no violence, merely taking hold of accused md pushing him away from ths door, when a"cus d t truck him violently on the nose, and blood fljwed freely. He had to g)to the, doc'or eub squently owing to freling ill. To Mr Gay : Arcusei bad been at the bmacks once or twice previous)}', and witness 1-ud to reprimand bim about a mmth previously. Had no knowledge o£ accused being p-rmifcted 'o enter while the Bible was being read. Accused swo:e wLiio at the dooi, Tiad laid the information willingly. The po'ire might have said that if he did n't. go on with this case they would not proceed in any other similar case. ■ To .Sdigt. S'agpoole: Had trouble with others trying to enter on the same evening.

Mary But'erworth corroborated Us"; witness. She aho sated accused siid -jh wai a public place, and th it the policg had ntde thom open the dvorfor hitn on a previous occasion. After the b'ow W!B f-truck accused said he was sorry he hed hit MoyK but that it, served him lignt. Thw was the ifi'st occasion on which any trouble had arisen.

To Mr-Roy : Hal sic n accused at th- barracks previ"u ly. He had been let in then, but strict orders had been given that the ru'e against admission during Bible reading was to be enforced.

Constable Patrick Stick pole also gave evidence. Mr, Roy eca l ed the case for the defence and called, Walter Smi'h, the who said ( he was second cook at the T<rminusj Hotel, and ha 1 attendrd the Army Servics regularly, though ho bad entered 'ate owing to bein? u- able to get there eatlier. TKa Ensign had permitted liiuo to go in late after witness exp'aired the reason. B7th the Easi.n aiid Mr. Bviick had been to see him on friend'y tmns, arid he had subscribed to the Army funds. Denied being spoken to for talking during the service. He held his hand icsiile the door to prevent it being cloned, Moyle was rather to him and took him violently and shook him. Witness twice asked Moyle to take bis hands off, and then struck him. Subsequently witness entered the building and remained till the close of thj meeting Hehad besn invited to go in and ever without an invitation he considered he waM'entit'fd to enter.

To Sergt. Stagpoole : Had no trouble with the Army at Waitara. B'lick was not present when the invi^a'ion was given to witness to enter late. Knew the rulß against entering during Bib'e reading. Ha did not fotce the door open, but merely prevented the doorkeeper from closing it. Jas. E. BaiLy, in the employ of Mr. S. B. White, said Moyle le'ained his grip till'after accused was on the path Did not hear a word of bad language used.

: To Sergt. Stagpoole : Csuld not say what took p'acfl at the door, Edwin liakhatfc, shop acs : stmt, saiH ha was refused admission. Saw Mr.ylp put. accused down tho s'eps. Accused asked Moyle twice t© take his hands 08 him and then ■ struck Moyle. Was positive no bad language was ufel by accused.

To Sergt. Stagpoola: Had be?n ; several times put out of the Army Barracks, and from the Theatre. Accused, recalled by Mr. Roy, denied using " swear " language. 1 Hii Worship said that in ene sens" it; was not a very aggravated PssanK 1 fie was sitisfi d that Mr. Moylu's evi lencJ was true. The Army hid every .right to make for the conduct of their meeting. The accused did not. sem to belong to the larrikin class, but that he assaulted the complainant without provocation was beyond doubt, He imposed a fine of 20a on the accused. No cos f s were claimed.