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SMASHING SHOP WINDOWS.

THE ELTHAM CASE. ACCUSED COMMITTED FOR TRIAL. At-the Eltham S.M. Court on Monday, before Mr. T. A. B. Bailey, S.M., Jamei O'Neill, >yheelwright of Eltham, was charged with having committed mischief on the night of December 9th by wilfully destroying three plate glass windows of the shop in Bridge Street, Eltham, occupied by Ira J. Bridger. Sergeant Hcnrv prosecuted, and Mr. P. O'Dea appeared for accused. Peter Donnelly, of Hawera, who, with Jesse Mills, of Palmerston North, owned the shop, said he estimated the damage at between £SO and £6O. Ira Jaines Bridger said he knew O'Neill by sight, but had never spoken to him. To Mr. O'Dea: Witness said he was president of the P.P.A. He had recently issued a circular to the electors of Egmont. The circular was a direction how to vote. It did not cast any reflection on any sect, although it was possible to construe it that way. Ee was not prepared to say which candidate it was intended to assist. Asked if his Association could supuprt a Catholic, witness said it might; Be was not prepared to say. Harry King, night watchman, stated he heard the crash of breaking glass, and he found Mr. Bridgers windows broken. He acquainted the constable and Bridger with what had occurred. No one could be seen in the vicinity of the shop. Tom Kelahan, employed at the Eltham Hotel, said he had sold accused a bottle of draught whisky on the evening of the 9th. He could not swear to the bottle but it was similar to the one produced.

Cross-examined, witness said he was not prepared to swear that the bottle bought by O'Neill was like the one produced. Frank Bodle stated that he had a drink with accused at Home's boarding house on the evening in question at about 7.30. He last saw O'Neill that cvciiing at about 8 o'eloek. He could not say whether his (O'Neill's) hand was cut or not. Accused told him about the accident 7iext morning. Reginald Leslie Curd said he saw accused at about 10.15 p.m. in company with three other men taking supper at tlio British Cafe. Walter Harold. Mills, proprietor of the British Cafe, stated that O'Neill, accompanied by two other men left the Cafe at about 11 o'clock. He retiree 1 to bed at about 11.30 and was disturbed a little later by the crash of glass. He had noticed no injury to O'Neill's hand while he was in the Cafe, but he had noticed blood on the floor near the table they occupied, and, when questioned bv witness, he thought one of the mgn said that one of them had cut his finger.

Elizabeth Watson, employed at the Coronation, stated that she was not in the company of accused on the night of December 9tk

Constable Townsend deposed that on the evening of the 9th he was aroused about 11.45 by the nightwatchman, and on account of his statements witness went to Bridger's shop. On arrival he found that three of the windows were broken. He-saw blood on the bottom edge of the broken glass of the window nearest Lording's shop. There were *ko spots of blood on the remains of the window nearest Buckeridge's office, flc found the broken bottle, (produced) on the footpath. It contained a little whisky. Just inside the window he discovered other parts of a bottle similar to that found outside—he shoull jay they were corresponding parts (also produced). About forty minutes past midnight he met O'Nciil near Horne't boarding house. Accused, who came from the direction of the railway line, was considerably under the influence of liquor. He was wet up to the knees, and his boots were muddy. He tilso carried his right hand in his pocket Questioned as to where he had been he refused to pay. Witness told accused he suspected him of breaking Bridger's windows. He replied: "Breaking Bridger's windows! I wouldn't do a silly thing like that. If you want to know where I've been, I've been on a love-making expedition in the Park with my girl." He refused t& say who the gir) was. The constable said he knew who the girl was; she worked at the. Coronation Hotel; and no respectable girl wduld be in the Park with a wan at that time of the night. O'Neill said there were respectable girls working in hotels. O'Neill kept his right hand in his pocket.until they reached the constable's office. At the request of the constable' he then removed it. There was a handkerchief tied loosely around it, and was covered with fresh blood. Taking off the handkerchief witness found a jagged cut—about half an inch long—on the first finger. Witness asked him how he cut his hand, and O'Neill replied "That's my business," and stated that he had cut it on a bottle, in his "own quarters." He added that he had a bottle in his hands and it broke, but he did not know where the remains of the bottle were. The constable then examined accused's clothes and asked him where he got into such a mess. Accused replied that he had got into a swamp, and added "You should see my girl's boots!" Accused's clothes looked as if they had been splashed with dirty, stagnant water. Witness then accompanied O'Neill to his room at the boarding house, but found no trace of blood or of the broken bottle. He awoke Curd, who said he ha<Tno trace of a bottle in the room. O'Neill said "If you don't believe I was over at the Park I'll show you something." Witness then left. While in his (the constable's) office the broken whisky bottle was standing on the table. Asked whether he had had a bottle of whiskv that night, O'Neill declared that lie had not. but added that he knew who bought "that bottle" (the one on the table). He added that it was nought on Monday; he did not know by whom it was bought, but they had it at the boardin.7 house. To Mr. O'Dea: Witness said he did not think too -'strenuous" with O'Neill, did not use any of what was known upon the Continent as third degree methods. He knew that it was incumbent upon him to warn a man before .arresting him. He considered that he did quite right in eroSs-examining him without warning him. He did not think that he overdid his duty as policeman. He did not suggest to O'Neill that he was going to keep him at the office until he told all about what Ije had done, and that he must admit the offence. It was on his own suggestion that they visited O'Neill's room. He had a casual lookround the room, but shifted nothing. He awoke Curd, who was sleeping. He did not w-'i outside the door, to listen to any conversation between O'Neill and Curd. He would swear that O'Neill had said "I have been in the Park with my girl." and not "with a girl." O'Neill took his hand from his pocket at wjtiiiias' request. He was very cateful in

removing the wrapping from the injured finger. This closed the case for the prosecution. In reply to the clerk of the court accused declared he had nothing to say On behalf of O'Neill Mr. O'Dea entered a plea of not guilty, and accused was committed to the Supreme Court for trial. Bail was allowed in two sureties of £SO each. For havingsigned his name as witness to a claim for enrolment, without having seen the signature written, or hearing the ptvson signing it declare to the signature, J. R. Slight, at present employed at the Waitara Freezing Works, was fined 40s and costs, the main witnesses being allowed 29s for expenses.

Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/TDN19191217.2.12

Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka

Taranaki Daily News, 17 December 1919, Page 3

Word count
Tapeke kupu
1,301

SMASHING SHOP WINDOWS. Taranaki Daily News, 17 December 1919, Page 3

SMASHING SHOP WINDOWS. Taranaki Daily News, 17 December 1919, Page 3

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