Heura Singh, a Sikh policeman, summoned three Sikh watchmen, named Nund Singh, on a charge of having assan by be ing him with sticks, on the night of the Ist instant, Plaintiff, whose head was bandaged and who had one eye much dis: coloured, stated that on the night in question he went toa shop in Frenchtown to pay a bill. When he entered the shop the three defendants were there, also P.C. 198. Nund Singh called out that plaintiff had come, and he (plaintiff) left the shop. The three followed him and Nund Singh struck him on the head with a stick, the other two also beat him on the head with their sticks, knocking him down. Two Sikh P.C.'s, not in uniform told them to stop beating him and they ran off. He then reported the matter at the Central Police Station. Questioned by His Worship as to motive for the attack, he said that during the Races he met Nund Singh at the Racecourse. He offered complainant a drink from a bottle and he refused it, swearing at defendant who reported him for swearing.
Sergt. Aiers, of Sinza Station, said that on one of the Race days Nand Singh came to report complainant for swearing at him. Witness would not take the report as the defendant was drunk.
Complainant said he knew that. some men had had trouble with Sobah, but they were not relatives of his. He bad nothing to do with getting Sobsh dis missed from the police.
Sikh p.c. 128 gave evidence corroborating the plaintiff's story and said he did not interfere as the row was in French-
158 gave similar evidence lat he would hare been assault-interfered to protect Heura Bingh.
Nund Singh, in his defence, said he was a watchman at the Racecourse and on the night of the alleged assault he was at the Racecourse all the time. Two other men were with him, but they would not come as witnesses and he asked for subpoenas for them. The plaintiff in Hongkong was squeezing 60 cents a day for four Sears and was discharged there for bribery. Plaintiff had assaulted come! one previously and he (defendant) had acted as interpreter, for which plaintiff had now brought this charge. Defendant had been dismissed from the police two years before for disobeying orders.
'A Sikh servant from the Hotel des Colonies spoke as to a drunken row amongst the men, but he did not see the assault.
Several other Sikhs gave varying accounts of the dispute and the other defendants denied the assault.
His Worship said it was perfectly clear that there had been a drunken disturbance and he thought it arose out of trouble which had been going on ever since the 20th of January, 1898—a case of robbery and assault—and these evil results had arisen out of that charge. The police evidence made it clear that Sobah Singh and Rutta Singh were engaged in the assault and they would be fined $10, in default one week in prison. Nund Singh, having pleaded an alibi, would be given an opportunity to subpoena his witnesses, when his case would be dealt with.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.