POLICE COURT, ARATAPU.

Wairoa Bell, Volume V, Issue 177, 23 December 1892, Page 3

POLICE COURT, ARATAPU.

Monday. (Before Mr T. Webb, J. P.) John McLennan, William Bryant and Harry Be Grantville were charged with having on the 13th December challenged Alexander Morton to fight, and also with having used provoking language whereby tbe said A. Morton was afraid the accused would do him some grevious bodily harm. The complainant asked that [the defendants might be bound over to keep the peace. Sergeant Carlyon represented the police and Mr N. A. McLeod appeared for the prosecution. Alexander Morton deposed—-“ The defendants were in ray store at Redhill on 13th December ; they asked for a cheque for their gum, and I made out their account and gave them a cheque for the balance. They took up the cheque and afterwards complaiued of the amount and laid it down again. De Grantville said that AlcLeod and I were a set of thieves and robbers. He referred to some conversation I had with Jack Bryant and I denied it. He then called me a b liar and also a b scoundrel. I said I bad not spoken to Bryant and he made a rush at the counter and said “If you’re a man take off your coat and come out here and fight.” He also said “ You are not a gentleman, Mr Morton, and I’ll do for you.” He went on for an hour as if he was insane and I am afraid he will do me some bodily harm. De Grantville had behaved in a similar way before, and I complained to Constable Scott of him but decided to let him off that time. Bryant was not so bad as the other two. He called me a b scoundrel and wanted me to fight him, keeping up his abuse for an hour. McLennan used abusive language and said I was a b—■— liar and a d—■— haver. He said he would take £4l out of me before the mouth was over and I thought perhaps he intended to burn me out. He led the others on. To De Grantville. —I did not call you a liar. To Bryant.—This cheque (produced) is the one I offered you. You did not ask me to double the difference and fight you for it. To Bench.—The defendants wanted a cheque for £4l ; the amount due from the company was £2l- I did not use any provoking language. I could not get a word in, they were all talking together. Neil McLeod saw defendants in the store on the 13th. Mr Morton put a cheque on the counter and De Grantville after taking it up said h i did not understand it and showed it to McLennan. Defendants went out and said they would call again. They came in again and McLennan put £1 on the counter and wanted to wager that he would get the money out of Mr Morton. The latter quietly said he could sue him for it. McLennan and Bryant both challenged Mr Morton to fight. De Grantville said Morton was no b—— man if he did not come out and fight. He heard McLennan use the term “b- liar” and Bryant the term “ d swindler” to Mr Morton. The latter gave no provocation as far as he saw. All the defendants were using strong language and swearing. Thomas McMahon heard McLennan ask Morton to double the money and come out and fight for it. He heard De Grantville say that if Morton was a man he would come out and fight. The three defendants were very excited. Pie did not hear the terms in the information used. 11. De Grantville unsworn said he agreed to allow Mr Morton t® deduct £2 of his private account from the company’s cheque, and would not consent to his mates paying his private account which Mr Morton had deducted from the cheque due to them. _ He got very' angry because Mr Morton said it was lies when they said Mr Matthews had offered 32s for their gum. He did not ask Morton to fight ; he only said ‘‘ if you like to come out I will take it out of you. He used no bad language. William Bryant unsworn said Mr Morton did not fulfil the agreement made by bis foreman, but only offered them a cheque for £l3. He refused to pay De Grantville s private account and Mr Morton said we would have to do so. H e got excited because Mr Marton called ns b liars. He never used bad language. Ho did not challenge Morton to fight but only asked him peaceably to double the amount and ooaie out and fight for it. He was not in a tear. John McLennan said he used no bad language. He only asked hlorton to make it £BO and come out and fight for it,

Cornelius Clune was called by the defendants and swore that he heard no bad language used although he was in the store. He would not like to swear that none was used. The Bench was of opinion that bad language had been used. De Grantville aoknowledged to having challenged Mr Morton to fight but he did not like to convict him on his own word, and as the evidence against him was weak he would be discharged. Bryant and McLennan will be bound over to keep the peace for three months in their owi bonds of £25 each, and must also pay the costs, £3 14s in all.