For"striking the elderly Chinese proprietor of a wine and_ spirit shop in Avenue Edward VIL, A. A. Bigham (20), seaman on board the U. 8. S. Huron, was on Wednesday at the U.S. Court, fined $25 and costs by the Commissioner, Mr. F. J. Schuhl.
Defendant denied the assault, saying that by accident he broke the man's stick.
Sub-Inspector Wilson, who had charge of the case, said that at about 10 o'clock on Tuesday evening, he saw an excited crowd outside complainant's shop. Several shopboys ran towards witness and reported that one of a party of foreign sailors had bought some whiskey and refused to pay the full price for a bottle of the spirit. Defendant was drunk and staggering. When the shopman, who happened to come along at the time, expostulated with the defendant, the latter struck him on the face. When the victim held up his cane to defend himself, the stick was broken in two.
In fining the accused, Mr. Schuhl said there was no doubt from the evidence given, that, while intoxicated, the sailor had hit an infirm old man. A few men on the Huron continued to give a lot of trouble in the Settlement and their foolish behaviour was responsible for the curtailment of the liberties and pleasures of their shipmates in port.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.