R.M. COURT.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 6, Issue 1830, 3 November 1884, Page 2

R.M. COURT.

MASTERTON.-MONDAY.

[Before H. S. Wardell, R.M.J AN UPPER PLAIN QUARREL.

Cornelius Dixon v J. and Mary Clark.—Threatened breach of the peace, and assault. '-.Mr Beard'appeared--for the prosecutor, and Mi Bunny for the defendants.

Conii'liiH Dixon deposed that on Thursday lust Mrs Oinrk called out to him tlmt be had murdered his wife and '• drownded" a man. An hour later Mr Okk abused him, oalliag him a

"(I—tl old rascal." Still later'on Mrs Clark culled him' "a Fenian hangman." Witness was in the public road at the time. In the evening the pair came to the fence bounding his property like "wolves hunting for blood," and threw stones at him. Mr Clark called him an old villain and said he would murder him first time he could. Mrs Clark kept calling out " robber I robber! robber i" as a sort of chorus, He produced the stones that were thrown at him, two of them hit him, (To Mr Bunny) They had been neighbors for three years, their properties joined, He had had a dispute with them over some property, but had evaded them as he found them to be untrnthfnl and bad neighbors. He would have borne with their bad language, but when it came to stone throwing it got too hot for him. He did not call Mrs Clark a " dirty Fenian jade." His employers had sent a lawyer's letter to Mr Clark, but witness had not done so. He had no malice toward Clai k, but believed he would be a good neighbor but for his wife's influence. He did not know whether his wife had written to Mr Hessey to get Clark sacked. Elizabeth Dixon, wife of the prosetutor, confirmed his evidence. She declared that Mr and Mrs Clark were like two savages, Since witness had been a member of the Salvation Army her life had been a misery to her, as Mrs Clark mocked her. Her husband was a quiet man if he was let alone. She had no contempt for Mr and Mrs Clark. She had no hatred in her heart against anyone. Annie York deposed she was in Dixon's kitchen and heard Mr Claik aliasing Mr Dixon, hub did not hear the words used. In the evening Mrs Ulurk called out, mocking Mrs Dixon about the Salvation Army. By Mr Bunny: Had not seen Mrs Dixon out of temper for the last eight months, although she was often abused by the Clarks. She disappioved of the conduct of Mr and Mrs Clark. Had never heard Mr Dixon make use of a bad word in her life. For the defence Mr Beard called Inii Clark who deposed he saw Dixon on the night in question and accosted him and asked what he meant by saying he (witness) owed him £l7. Dixon put himself in an offensive posture and witness threw a piece of soil at him but did not iiit him, and they both went into their houses and nothing more took place, In answer to Mr Bunny witness said " He is an old villain but I did not tell him so." He did not use any of the words imputed to him, His wife did not call him a Fenian jade, hut Dixon said "go in yon Roscommon slut, He and Dixon had been on bad terms for two years past. They had snagged and snarled at each other like two dogs through a fence, He never saw Dixon the morning of Thursdaj. Mary Clark deposed that she was on the public road on the day in questiou and Dixon hooted and abused her without provocation. She did not see Mrs Dixon on that morning. She corroborated the evidence of her husband. " He's a low-lived man" said the witness and general laughter was with difficulty supiessed. Evelyn Price was called to show the unneighbourly character of the plaintiff but failed. Samuel Liddington was also called. Defendants were bound over in £lO each to appear in one month for sentence and in the meantime to keep the peace towards each other.