John Leydon Committed for Trial.

Thames Star, Volume XIII, Issue 4229, 21 July 1882, Page 2

John Leydon Committed for Trial.

At the B.M. Court yesterday, the hearing of the charge against John Leydon, for assaulting Michael O'Keeffe at Te Aroha, was concluded. .

After Thos. Tierney bad given e?idence, James Goard, a lodger in ihe British Hotel, deposed that when ia the bar in company with accused, the latter, who had been catting a pipe of tobacco, showed him the knife, ran his hand along it, and said he had been badly used. He also remarked, •• The first man that lays a hand -on me, I'll put this through his b— heart." Witness afterwards persuadM him to put avray the knife and go to bAk They then went together into the parlo^^ and after a few minutes Leydon went OUfl^H into the passage, returning shortly after-Tip wards and taking his seat on the bed. ■* O'Keefe also entered, and placed his hand on Leydon's clothes, on which the latter arose from the stretcher with his hand above his head. O'Keefe rushed forward and Leydon brought down his fist on-his back. He did not observe anything in ' - Leydon's hand. In struggling; the two men fell upon witness where he was lying. The fall was broken by their knocking against a cheffonier. He believed the knife prod'iced was the one with which he had seen Leydon cutting the tobacco. He believed accused was a little the worse of liquor, though not drunk. Could* not say which of the men made the first . rush. O'Keeffe bent his head, and when he closed with Leydon appeared, to pass his hand around the other man's body. Leydon's hand came down over O'Keeffe's • shoulder, but witness did not hear any •s thud. A general tussle followed, and both of them fell on witness' bed. In the hurry of picking himself up, he did not . see what followed until the crowd" entered.

Patrick Quinlan, licensee of the British Hotel, Te Aroha, deposed that between 6 and 7 o'clock on the eveniDg of the loth, Leydon came to him and asked for a bed, and was informed that the place was full. Witness next saw him about 10 o'clock, when be was mesmerising some J of the boarders. A hat was thrown across the room, which struck accused,' who immediately hit a man named O'Shea, who then " went for him." Witness separated them, and asked accused to leave the place. He refused to do so, saying'he would not go out of the house that night. Witness afterwards provided him with a shake down in the front room. The witness described' the ■ conversation between Whitaker and accused ia the passige. He resolved not to allow Leydon to remain in the house, and accordingly asked O'Keefe to go into the room for his clothes. In a few minutes he heard a row, and on rushing into the room found Leydon and O'Keefe struggling on the floor. He cautioned O'Keefe about such conduct at that time of the night, who replied that he wouldn't help it; Leydon had a knife and was stabbing him. Whitaker and a man named' Jones assisted him to part the men.. Saw the white handle of the knife in I.aydon's band during the.struggle. Leydon threw it under the stretcher, where it*was after-wards-found. It was then about three - parts open. As far as he knew Leydon and O'Keefe were on the best of terms.

Mr Miller decided not to go into any d-fence under the circumstances.

Accused was then . formally committed to take his trial at the next sitting of the Supreme Court. B.il was fixed at £1000 —accused in £500, and two sureties of £250 each.