Children of Annis and James Morris

HARDING—MORRIS.—Dec. 25, at St. Nicholas' Church, Brighton, by the Vicar, the Rev. J.J. Hannah, M.A., Mr. Alonzo Harding, of Croydon, Surrey, to Florence Mary, daughter of Mr. James Morris, of Brighton, Sussex.

ALLEGED SERIOUS INJURY IN A FIGHT.

Adolphus Skinner (38), of 98, Albert-road, was charged with being drunk and disorderly in Cross-road on Monday evening.—P.C. 678 W said he found the prisoner in the gutter with a crowd around him. He would not go away and wanted to fight. When charged he said he was not drunk.—Warrant-officer Pryke said he was on duty at the station when the prisoner was brought in. He had no doubt that he was drunk.—Detective-sergt. Storey asked for a remand because the man with whom prisoner had been fighting was very badly injured and was in a precarious condition. He had alleged that prisoner had caused the injuries, and it is quite probably that a serious charge would be brought against prisoner before the court.—Later in the morning, Skinner was charged with violently assaulting Washington James Morris by knocking him down and injuring his head.—John Pollard, of the Nag's Head public house, said that the prisoner with some more men came into his house and had some refreshments. Later witness saw one of the three men lying in the road injured. Witness had asked them to go outside because they were having an argument.—Joseph Hadfield, a carpenter, said that on Monday he was in the Nag's Head public house and saw Morris and Skinner. They seemed to be having a quarrel. Witness saw them leave the public house and soon after saw Morris lying on the ground. He was bleeding from the ear.—The Bench adjourned the case for a week.

BEER AND BLOWS.

SERIOUS CHARGE FOLLOWS.

Adolphus Skinner (38), of 98, Albert-road, was charged with being drunk and disorderly at Cross-road on Monday night.—P.C. 679 W said that he found prisoner lying in the gutter. Witness helped him to get up and told him to go away. He would not do so, and as a large crowd assembled, witness took him into custody. At the Police Station he denied being drunk, but was not examined by a doctor.—P.C. 383 W, who saw the prisoner at the station, said that he was drunk.—Detective-Sergeant Storey stated that prisoner had had a fight with a man, who was lying in the Hospital in a serious condition, suffering from a fractured skull. The injured man had also made a statement to the effect that prisoner had caused his injuries.—Later in the morning Skinner was further charged with violently assaulting Washington James Morris, by striking him and knocking him down, and causing injury to his head.—Stephen John Pollard, of the "Nags Head," Cherry Orchard-road, said that on Monday afternoon prisoner and two others entered the house for some refreshments. Later, witness saw a man who had been in prisoner's company lying in the road injured. As the men were leaving the house the one who was injured said "So long, baby." Prisoner said "What do you mean by that?"—Joe Hatfield, a carpenter and joiner, said that on Bank Holiday he was in the "Nag's Head," and there he saw Skinner and Morris, who seemed to be very quarrelsome. At the landlord's request, they went outside the house, and witness went out and saw Morris lying on the footpath, bleeding from the ear.—On this evidence the Bench decided to remand the prisoner for a week, on his own recognizances.

[ . . . ] The Bench adjourned the case for another week as Morris could not appear.

A MAN SEVERELY INJURED.

Adolphus Skinner (38), of 98, Albert-road, was charged on remand with being drunk and disorderly in Cross-road on August 2nd, and also with violently assaulting Washington James Morris by knocking him down and injuring his head. The cased had been adjourned twice and some of the evidence has been reported. The complainant was now able to attend. He lives at Bredon-road, Addiscombe, and said that he went into the "Nag's Head" with Skinner and some more men. In the course of an argument witness said, "Shut up, baby," and prisoner took offence and wanted to fight him. Shortly afterwards witness went outside and prisoner came up and struck him behind the head. He remembered no more.—Replying to prisoner, witness said that they always called him baby.—Alice Kete said that she saw the prisoner strike Morris a severe blow at the back of the head causing him to fall down.—Prisoner said that when the complainant called him "baby" it was meant for a direct insult, and he threatened to box his ears. Complainant might have knocked his head against a pillar in the struggle. He did not mean to hit him, and he did not think he did. He (prisoner) had been a ratepayer in Croydon for eighteen years and had always been respected.—The prisoner's employer gave him a very good character, and said that he was a quite and inoffensive man.—The Chairman said that the complainant had been permanently injured, and they did not think he was justified in doing what he did.—The prisoner was fined £3 and 5s. 6d. costs, or one months' imprisonment.