ATTEMPTED BLACKMAIL

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 141, 23 September 1910, Page 4

ATTEMPTED BLACKMAIL

UNUSUAL CASE AT WAITARA. A game of euchre in an hotel was the cause of an action that presented some rather unusual features being heard at the Waitara Magistrate's Court on Wednesday. John H. Damon charged A. T.. Lake, licensee of the Club Hotel at Waitara, with using insulting language to him.

The evidence submitted by the plaintiff, for whom Mr. Hutchen appeared,. was to the e:ect that four of them were playing euchre for money in defendant's hotel. Defendant and his partner had. secured 7 points against the plaintiff's 2 points, when the latter "ordered him up" to prevent him "going alone," and so obtaining the necessary 4 points required to win the game. Lake got very angry at this, and used the languagecomplained of. As a result, complainant, who was staying in the hotel, left. next day. In the course of severe cross-examina-tion by Mr. Quilliara, complainant considered that his action in "ordering up"' was perfectly legitimate, and denied that he had an aggressive and insulting. style. He admitted being put out oi the Taranaki Hotel and kicked by theproprietor, for which he commenced both civil and criminal proceedings, but afterwards discontinued. He did not know that costs awarded against him were still unpaid. He did not remember another man knocking him down and accusing him of cheating. He denied being turned out of the Waitara Hotel. He had left Mr. Lake's on a previous occasion because Mr. Lake had insulted him, because he returned his ham and eggs one Sunday morning owing to there being only one egg on it Neither had he nearly pushed the waitress down. He had not tried to get natives to say they were illegally supplied with liquor from that hotel. He told Mrs. Lake that he would claim £SOO damages if the case was not settled. Mr. Lake offered to settle for £lO and costs, but he demanded £IOO and this Mr. Lake promised to pay him next day. , The Magistrate asked plaintiff if be did not think this was blackmail. Mr. Quilliam stated that it was a most iniquitous case of blackmail, and* one marked by sordid malice.

Defendant admitted using the expression "a black mongrel" when the order-ing-up, which was known as the "Holdtika or "Turakina" trick was used. This he was sorry for, and had expressed willingness to apologise and pay costs, as he did not wish to be involved in court proceedings, but he would certain' ly not allow himself to be blackmailed. He could prove they were not playing for money. The Magistrate said there was no need to proceed further. Complainant's action was mean and contemptible. On. his own admission he had tried to obtain £IOO by means of blackmail. The case was dismissed.—Abridged from. Mail.