FIGHT IN CABARET

Wairarapa Times-Age, 9 February 1940, Page 6

FIGHT IN CABARET

FOUR MEN ARRESTED. AN ESCAPEE RE-CAPTURED. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, This Day. A fight between a number of men in a Wellington cabaret last night caused excitement in a city street among persons who watched the police arrest four of the combatants. There was a birthday party in progress, seven men and several women being seated at tables on the dais. Suddenly two of the men became involved in a heated argument, which led to blows between them. The rest of the men in the party took sides and in a few moments all seven were swinging at one another. A constable who happened to be in the cabaret took charge of one of them and escorted him outside. He then returned to quieten the others. Meantime the manager of the cabaret had also intervened with pacific intentions. However, his identity was apparently misunderstood. The fight had recurred and the manager had to use some discretion to prevent himself from being implicated in the general melee. The man who had been taken outside returned and. it is understood, joined in tiie dispute again. The appearance of two additional constables from the street led to 'the apprehension of four men. the three others having taken the opportunity of making themselves scarce.

Thi?. ;nen apprehended were marched to taxi cabs, and a touch of American comedy then followed. No sooner had one of the men been bundled inside a cab than he pushed open the farther door and bolted up the street and round the corner into another street with a constable in hot pursuit. By tliis tune a fairly large crowd had assembled. thoroughly enjoying the spectacle at the cabaret door.

The man who escaped was soon overtaken and brought back ignominiously to the taxi. This time he was closely watched and taken away with his companions.