T. H. LANCASTER
Evening
News Sydney, NSW
21 Jan
1928
K.O.'d TWICE BY PRISONER CONSTABLE
HURT SCENE IN COURT
WYONG,
Saturday.
MORRISET
courthouse was disturbed yesterday afternoon by a scene that Mr. Perry. SM.,
described as without equal In his long experience.
JOHN Harding,
charged with having assaulted T. Lancaster,
at Wyee, appeared in court
and took his place in the witness box.
Informed
that that was not his place, he replied to Mr. Perry that he didn't care where
he went.
He would
plead guilty, and it was Immaterial to him what they did to him; whether they
gave him four days or four years.
Asked by the
S.M If he was addressing him. Harding replied that he was.
“Is this,
man drunk.” Mr. Perry Inquired of the constable. “Yes” was the response.
“You are
fined 13. In default 24 hours gaol, for being drunk in my presence,” said the
S.M
ATTACKED IN
CELL
When Constable
M'Geoch was removing Harding from the courthouse to the cells at the rear.
Harding attacked him, knocked him on the floor of the anteroom, and kicked him
over the left eye, Inflicting a wound that later had to be stitched by a doctor.
The cries of
Mrs. M' Geoch brought Messrs. W. C. Rutherford, storekeeper, of the Sulphide
Corporation. Speer's Point, and the head warder of the Mental Hospital, James Carrol,
who happened to be in court, to the assistance of the constable, who was
knocked out.
After great
difficulty, Harding was locked in the cell. As soon as Mr. Rutherford left, he again
attacked the constable and laid him out a second time.
REMAND TO
NEWCASTLE
The prisoner
eventually was overcome and was brought back to court with blood on his face.
The SM. said
he would ask that a constable be sent from Newcastle to take the defendant
there, and he would be dealt with the following morning on three charges of
having assaulted the police and the two assistants
”And I will
hear the case,” added Mr Perry.
J. J. Watkins.
Solicitor, who was appearing for Lancaster,
also joined in the melee to assist the constable, but escaped with slightly-damaged
spectacles.
LINK:to T H Lancaster Obituary.
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