COW ARDLY ASSAULT.

Waikato Times, Volume XIX, Issue 1619, 18 November 1882, Page 2

C OW ARDL Y ASSA ULT.

At the Hamilton. Police Court on Thursday, before Capt. McPlierson,, J.P., and His Worship the Mayor, a .yoiingmian named Charles MeSweeney, residing at Hamilton, was charged with having some days previous, • violently assaulted one John Davis, a surface man iv ,the employment of the Kirikiriroa Highway Board. Frojrthe pjaintiff;S'sj;atement it appeared that McSweeney was employed by> Mr Cpombes, jCpntracjtor, „-to, cart gravel on roads in, the Kirikiriro4 4'strict, and it was plaintiffs duty to see that the gravel was of "the proper sort, not mixed, with clay. , On the day preceeding that ou which tlie ( assault was committed McSweeney had left three or four loads of gravel which ' Davis had not spread, and on the' following morning defendant—enquired- -the—reaspli of the gravel fteijig left 1 jiuhe?lp.s. __ Davis .said there was too much loam mixed with it, and he was thereto check it." McSweeney said, " You deserve to be thumped for standing ' in the interests of the working man.'! Plaintiff, who had his back timicd ' to McSweeney, tli en received, „a "blow <on the head, whether from defendant's fist or fiom the tail board ot the cart, which was in McSweeney's hand, he ' could not say. Anyhow, it knocked him down. When he rose/McSweieney Went at him, and struck him several times, severely, bruising him. > Plaintiffs face bore the marks, of a severe belting. ' ' '' '' "'" ' l The defendant admitted, the substauce of plaintiffs evidence to be true,, but said he only gave him a H ctbut W the head" which 'knocked -him ■ |ntb the gutter. Davis, when he jrotnp, fought .defendant, and then.ran for a shovel, whjch defendanc 'took from 'Tiim', ' f 'ari(V again "punched"' 1 - ' him.' 'Oap't. 1 i McPherson characteiised the apsaul^aa, a most unprovoked and cowardly pne. ( If such conduct' 1 we're' 1 allowed to pass, road boards would be robbed wholesale, or they would have to keep fighting men to protect their Employes. The Bench in- ' ilic'ted a'fine 6f &$; atfd ordeVed defendant to pay the,9qsts of the action. ? s .