A PECULIAR CASE.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2562, 30 September 1893, Page 1

A PECULIAR CASE.

At the Supreme Court, Invercargill, on Wednesday, a peculiar action was heard, Andreas Jansberg suing Alexander Cross, senr., for £IOO damages, arising out of an assault by A. Cross, junr. The affair occurred at the Bluff, but although the attack seems to have been of a murderous character very little concerning it has hitherto been made public. Plaintiff and Cross, junr., were cook and apprentice respectively on board the barque Ganymede, and after being ashore drinking one night in July last they quarrelled, and fought on deck. Jansberg then went below, and shortly after Cross came down, produced a razor, and threatened to cut his liver out. Jansberg was in his bunk, and, while getting out and before he could straighten himself, Cross made a slash at him with the razor, cutting him from collar bone to knee. Eighteen stitches were put in to keep the wound together. Plaintiff alleged that overtures were made to him by defendan t to quash criminal proceedings; that he had said he would tell the truth if put on oath ; that when before the Justices at the Bluff he was not sworn, and then he then stated that he believed the wound was accidentally inflicted and the charge was dismissed. For taking this course ho alleged that Cross, senr., promised to pay all the losses and expenses of plaintiff, but had not done so. Jansberg, who is a foreigner, afterwards brought a charge of perjury against Cross, junr., at the Bluff Court, but he says that the Magistrate refused to hear the evidence and dismissed the information. The affair caused a deal of comment at the port. The jury found for plaintiff for £3O. On the question of costs His Honor asked why the case had not been brought in the President Magistrate’s Court to which counsel replied that it was useless to do so before a Magistrate who had already refused to hear the ev’dcmco in the perjury case brought by Jansberg. Resident Magistrate’s Court costs only were allowed. Representations have been madte to the Governmeut ip the matter of the Police Court cases referred to, A Wellington telegram says '.—The Justice Department have been enquiring into the allegations brought by a man named Jansberg against the Resident Magistrate &t the Bluff. They see no reason to interfere, and have informed Jansberg’s counsel that no action will be taken unless he is prepared to bring specific allegations of eruption,.