Restaurateur in court for serving a drunk
AT THE Borough Police Court George King, 14a St Nicholas Street, was summoned for having sold intoxicating liquor to a drunken person (Rose Hilda Aldrid) on June 22; and was further summoned for having permitted drunkenness on his licensed premises on June 22.
Mr T Hart was for the defence and Mr S Jones (deputy town clerk) appeared to prosecute.
Mr Jones said that on the 22nd of last month a woman named Aldrid was arrested for drunkenness in St Nicholas Street and from a communication which was received by the police, Inspector Barker, and PC Nalton went to see the defendant, and the only evidence he could put before the bench that morning was a statement by defendant himself to the police.
The latter went to the premises at 9.50pm, Mrs King and her maid servant being there. Mrs King said that the woman Aldrid went in and ordered a half-pint bottle of stout, which was supplied to her, and consumed by her. She then ordered another, which was supplied, but not consumed, she then ordered three glasses of port wine, and these, it was alleged, made her drunk.
In each case the liquor was supplied by the maid, but Mrs King was in the shop. That statement was read over to Mr King and he acknowledged it to be true. There was no doubt, said Mr Jones, that the woman was very drunk indeed, and she was severely fined. His (Mr Jones) contention was that before the last glass of port wine could have been served to her she must have been drunk, that the defendant knew, or ought to have known, but did not take at the proper time reasonable steps which he thought to have taken to have the woman ejected from the premises.
Inspector Barker said Mrs King stated a fourth glass was ordered, but was not served. Mrs King had been perfectly open and frank with him.
Mr Hart: As a matter of fact they were all quite frank with you?
The inspector admitted it was so.
Mr Hart: Didn't Mrs King send for you?
It appeared that Mrs King had communicated with the police.
Mr Hart: Didn't you say to Mr King the next morning, that the woman was more mad than drunk?
The Inspector: No.
PC Nalton (42) said that Mrs King called him to the woman, who was disorderly in the shop and wanted to fight Mrs King.
By Mr Hart: The woman was in a very excited condition.
The chief constable said that the woman was very drunk, damaged the cell, and struggled with all who came into contact with her. They could do nothing with her and her language was terrible.
Mr Hart: It is true that she was very excited?
The chief: That is so.
Florence Richardson, Trafalger Street East, said she was assistant with Mrs King in St Nicholas Street. She had received strict orders not to serve anyone who was drunk.
When the woman went into the shop she was quite sober.
Witness served her with a half-pint bottle of stout, the woman refused the next, and witness then served her with three glasses of port wine.
Mrs King then came into the shop – she had not been there when the wine was served.
The clerk: Was there a little time between each glass being served? - Yes.
Mr Hart: I suppose she had time to appreciate the quality of the wine, hadn't she? - Yes.
Continuing, witness said that the woman was asking her personal questions when Mrs King went in. The woman asked for another glass of wine, but Mrs King refused it. She became abusive, used bad language and witness was sent for police.
Mr Hart: When you had served her with the third glass what was her condition? - For a lady she had had sufficient.
You draw a distinction between a lady and a man? – Yes.
When she had had the third glass of wine was she drunk? - She was more excited than drunk.
Replying later to Mr Hart, witness said that when the woman had the third glass she was quite sober. Mrs King told her not to serve the woman again on account of the personal questions the latter was asking her.
Mr Hart said that the conduct of the defendant and his wife throughout had been honest and consistent, and they would remain so.
Mrs King gave corroborative evidence. She heard the woman asking personal questions, and on hearing what she had been served with, she refused to supply her with more, stating that she had had sufficient for a lady. The woman then became very abusive, and threatened to strike her. When witness refused to serve her she appeared to be perfectly sober, but later she got very excited, and certainly appeared to be under the influence of drink. Nothing was served to the woman whilst witness was there. Inspector Barker said next morning that the woman was more mad than drunk.
Mr Jones: Stout and port wine are an unusual mixture? – Yes.
Mr Hart: You are not an authority on drinks, but Mr Jones evidently is. (Laughter).
Defendant, in the box, said there had been no complaints against the house previously.
Mr Hart addressing the magistrates, said there was nothing to indicate that the woman was drunk when served, and it must be remembered that Mrs King herself sent for the police. The licence had been in Mr King's
family for over 20 years, without complaints.
They did not think Mrs King had been the slightest to blame – they felt there was no blame attached to her, but they thought there had been an error of judgement by the person attending to the shop.
They would impose a fine of 12s 6d including costs, and the costs themselves amounted 11s.
Mr Hart: Does that mean a fine of 1s 6d and costs 11s? – Yes.
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Thursday 24 May 2012
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