A FACETIOUS DRUNKARD.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XII, Issue 3820, 27 May 1891, Page 2

A FACETIOUS DRUNKARD.

1 The ,great John Burke O'Brien, whose name appears on the Court records, of- nearly every judicial establishment in the colony, and who has been twice before the Court during . hia short residence here, was again j arrested by Constable Montgomery i and charged with being a drunkard. , John appeared before the Bench this . morning, and mistaking our reporter, i for a member of the Bar, requested biro, in tft> presence of a number of i spectators, to (Jefenj? him. John, who i has. a How of elocjiieuce which some of our political friends might envy the possession of, laid his case before our reporter in a speech of a humorous character. He said he was I at present a compulsory abstainer, and probably would be for a short period if he wassentenced that morning. He had been asked to join a temperance society last night, and had done so, on the understanding tbat he was to get a billet at a salary of £2 5s a week. He joined, aqd was delivering a lecture oh "Tenjperanpe'' in the public thoroughfare of Her Most Gracious Majesty, when a Hw>b of the law came along and spoilt the show, and he had to spend the remainder of the night vacantly viewing the crystal walls of his prison cell, He had been advised always to take cold water, and he did so, but only externally, and even that was dangerous, for if too much was applied externally it might result in loss of yaluable life, In his early youth bp had been intended for the Bar him- i self, but as years rolled on he found , that it was no other than the bar of ' the public bouse. When O'Brien was placed in the box he denied having | been drunk, and Constable Mont- , goinery and Sergt. Cullen gave evi- « dence. Accused made a long rambling | statement, until • cut short by the E Bench, who fined him £2 and costs, ( or 14 days' imprisonment in the | Napier gaol. Messrs Caro and ( Di»«.t.«--T..o»; n » a «r*u„ d.. „';„...„• 1

the Bench. O'Brien said he intended appealing against; the decision of the Court, and applying for a protection order against': the police.— Napier Telegraph;