A MIDHIRST SENSATION.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXIV, Issue 106, 7 May 1902, Page 2

A MIDHIRST SENSATION.

DOMESTIC TROUBLES OB A LICKNS EE. j i INVESTIGATED IN OOURT. ! TnK sensational rumours current in' to" n on Monday of an alleged shooting affair at Midhirat proved incorrect, though they evidently arose from a row which occurred on 28th April at the Midhirst Hftel. On Tuesday at Stratford, the Post reports, Arthur Richmond was chare«d with having afsulted John O'Neil', licensee of the hotel. The latter gave evidence that on t'se d-ito in question he got home at 8.30 p.m. Defendant was there, and struck witness on the f.ice, ciusing blood to flow. Defendant again struck witness, and later broke. the door into witness' room, which he had barricaded. Witness wis sober, and did no f . beat his wife, nor had he ; ever threatened to murder her. William 01 aver stated that when O'Neill returned home on the nipht in question he was sober, but at 10.30 he was drunk. Witness heard O'Neill threatening to ki'l his wife, and sent for the police. He heard homeone say " Come on, boys, he's murdering ber." Defendant and others rushed in. O'ls sill went upstairs and abused defendant. Mrs O'Neill said if witness would see fair play she would go to 1 bed. Remembered Mrs O'Neill hav--1 ing black eyes. W. Heaps gave similar evidence. On the night of the assault he saw ' O'Neill and his wife scrambling < n the floor, and Richmond gave O'Neill a ; push to get Mrs O'Neill away from him. Witness did not see O'Neill 1 struck. Had on a former occasion 1 separated O'Neill and his wife. 1 O'Neill's son was als? drunk at the time of the row.

Mrs O'Neill stated that her huabund did Dot strike her on the night of the *s»aulr, but did beat her on Monday last, when there was a row in the house. Defendant also give evidence to finding O'Neill and his wife stnieglina on the floor. Mrs O'Neill was crying " Leave me alone." Defendant asperated them. Afterward* o'N«iil shook hands, and said he had had a lot of domestic unhappiness. In reply to Constable Ryan, Richmond said he wna not the cause of the unhappiness. He was aware that it was like putting oil on fire to go near Mr O'Neill. He b<td never said that he would swing for O'Neill. He was not in the habit of carrying a revolver. On one occasion ha had a revolver of a friend'*, but bad no intention of shooting O'Neill. Oa one occasion Mrs O'Neill rushed info his room for protection, and hid under the bed, and asked defendant to let her remain. O'Neill came up and demanded admission. He did not strike O'Neill then as he was an old man. After hearing further evidence, the S.M. said the evidence disclosed a disgraceful st*te of things at the Midhirst Hotel. From what hid come before hira he thought defendant was a rash impulsive m>in, who followed a word by a blow. He had no right to interfern. At the same time he did not attach any importance to the evidence given by O'Neills. Tbe whole evidence discloeed a most flagrant breaoh of the Licensing Act, and there was sufficient evidence to close the house. He thought that the defendant bad stated his case with candour, and he bad no doubt that his story was true. He would dismiss the case