John McArtney, (?-?). "dastardly assault"

A BRUTAL ASSAULT

ON A TEMPERANCE LECTURER. 

By Telegraph-Press Association. Dunedin, March 10. 

A brutal assault was made on Mr. John McCartney, temperance lecturer and organiser, at Roxburgh, about 8.30 on Saturday night. Mr. McCartney, who had been in the district for some days organising in the interests of the party, was proceeding to the house of Mr. Michelle, about half a mile outside the town boundary, when within a quarter of a mile of the house he was accosted, by a man who came round behind. Without warning, after muttering something about drink, the man attacked Mr. McCartney, who promptly closed with his assailant. Another man came on the scene suddenly, and Mr. McCartney was struck on the head with a blunt instrument and rendered unconscious. When Mr. McCartney recovered consciousness he was lying on the side of the road, and reached Mr. Michelle's house in an exhausted condition. Cuts on his coat suggest that an attempt was made to stab Mr. McCartney, the left arm and side being pierced in several places. Mr. McCartney is not seriously injured, though his left thigh is bruised, but this is attributed to his being dragged along the road. He has no idea of the identity of his assailants.  -Dominion, 121/3/1919.

MYSTERY CLEARED UP.

THE ROXBURGH CASE. 

(SPECIAL TO "THE PRESS.") DUNEDIN, March 13. 

Detective-Sergeant Kemp and Detective Hammerley have satisfactorily cleared up the mystery surrounding the case in which John McArtney, a prohibition lecturer visiting Otago Central, alleged that he was set upon at Roxburgh on Saturday night, and stabbed. McArtney now admits that he must have had a fit, and was under the delusion that he had been attacked by a man. 

On reaching Roxburgh, the detectives saw McArtney, and examined one of the wounds, which appeared to be a genuine stab. Full enquiries were made in the district, which was in a state of indignation and alarm, and next morning the police decided to have another look at the wounds. They then came to the conclusion that there was no foundation for the man's story to them. They did not appear to be punctured wounds, but self-inflicted injuries. The wounds, which were only skin deep, were examined by Dr. Evans yesterday, and the doctor was of the same opinion as the detectives, who at once informed McArtney of the result of the medical examination.

McArtney then made a statement to the effect that he had been suffering from mental strain; that he had been subject to fits for some years; that a recent stabbing affray at Roxburgh preyed on his mind; that having to make addresses when not accustomed to public speaking upset him; and that he had had a heavy day on the date in question, studying and preparing the matter for his address. He was on his way to Mr Michelle's residence, when, to use his own words, he must have been seized with one of the fits, for he found himself lying on the road in an exhausted condition. Pulling himself together, he appeared to have some delusion that he had been attacked by a man. At that time he did not know that there were any wounds on him. He had no recollection of inflicting them on himself. He had a pair of scissors and a nail clipper in his possession. There the matter ends, further police inquiries being unnecessary.  -Press, 14/3/1919.

IMAGINATIVE McCARTNEY

A Prohib. Propagandist's Performance

TELLS A TALE OF HORRID  TROUBLE.

A Lecturing Lad's Little Lurk.

What Happened When the Fit Took Him.

(From "Truth's" Dunedin Rep.)

On Monday of last week people all over New Zealand recoiled m horror before the telegraphed news that a prohibition lecturer had been set upon and stabbed in Roxburgh. Their indignation and their abhorrence were fed by the circumstantial account of the occurrence, telegraphed and circulated throughout the country, next day. This widely-published story was headed:

"DASTARDLY ASSAULT — ALLIANCE AGENT AT ROXBURGH BADLY HANDLED, and it went on to say that Mr. J. A. McCartney, agent for the New Zealand Alliance for the Otago electorate (sic), stationed at Roxburgh, was the victim of a dastardly assault last Saturday evening about 8.45 p.m. While out enjoying a stroll, he

WAS SUDDENLY ATTACKED by two men, and badly knocked about, being left on the road unconscious. After regaining consciousness, he managed to reach this lodgings, where medical aid had to be summoned. The young man, who is a student for the ministry, was suffering from severe shock, and, on examination, it was further discovered that a knife had been used on him, as his arm bore three wounds, with another smaller wound on the chest. The assailants are at present unknown, but investigations are proceeding Roxburgh has an unenviable reputation of late, and the citizens, who value its good name, are much put out by this recent happening. A meeting of several residents took place on Monday evening, and a resolution was carried and forwarded to the Minister of Justice demanding increased police protection." When this news was flashed across the wires, signs of apprehension and indignation at once began to make themselves manifest. The Dunedin police, with a promptitude that did them credit, landed, per motor-car, at the scene of the happening within 48 hours of its birth. No assailant could possibly escape from sleuths

SO QUICKLY ON THE SPOT. Detectives know that men who run about the country stabbing people on Saturdays always observe the Sabbath rest. That, possibly, is why the "demons" waited until Monday before leaving for Roxburgh. In feverish impatience the

PUBLIC AWAITED THE ARREST of the perpetrators of this dastardly and cowardly assault. Monday passed; Tuesday dawdled by enshrouded in anxiety; Wednesday came, only to tell us that the residents of Central Otago were writhing in the paroxysms of dismay anent the cowardliness of the attack. Then came Thursday. With it came the detectives home again. With them came an emaciated, googly-eyed youth. The city went mad at the sight. The cowardly assailant, he who with murder in his heart and a knife in his hand, had waylaid a Divinity student, and had struck to the earth a prohibition lecturer, was at last being brought to justice. But the people's joy was short-lived. It soon got hinted abroad that the companion of the detectives was not the attacker, but the attacked. The only person they brought back was John A. McCartney. "Truth" got to hear of the trinity's arrival, and hied itself off to the police station with haste even equal to that which graced the departure of the "demons." But at the police station no intelligence was forthcoming for the readers of "The People's Paper." All the devices of wheedling and cajoling could not make any policer man speak. Left to his own resources, "Truth's" representative began investigations on his own account. And this is the story he has to tell;

Jack McCartney, born in England, has a wife and one child. During the last couple of years he has been employed by Lane and Co., aerated water manufacturers, of Dunedin. The principals of Lane and Co. give him

A CHARACTER OF THE FIRST MAGNITUDE; indeed, it is said of him that few men could be so depended upon when it came to the getting away of "rush" orders. Once, when in the employ of Lane and Co., a raw-boned youth knocked him down. McCartney had a fit as the result. He earned £3 a week at Lane's — 2s 6d over the union wage. A few weeks ago he left, giving his "boss" to understand that he was going to work at a store in the country. It was stated that he took up a job as representative of the New Zealand Alliance at Roxburgh, at the princely remuneration of £3 5s a week. Exactly what duties he was to perform for this terrific wage is not quite clear. Anyhow, we have it that he "addressed" a meeting or two, that his agreement was to terminate on April 10, and that he had a wife and child to keep. The result was a severe mental strain, and, as a natural consequence, McCartney had a fit. Hallucinations possessed him. He thought he was being attacked by strangers — two of them. In defending himself from the assailants of his imagination he cut himself with a pair of scissors. There, apparently, McCartney's connection with the affair ends. But it is at this stage that "efficiency" methods begin to take up the running.

The unfortunate man's "efficiency" friends eagerly

DRANK IN HIS WILD STORY, without pausing to weigh the pros and cons which his half-dazed condition must have presented to any balanced intelligence. Here was a golden opportunity to show the world what miscreants, what diabolical agents of everything that was loathsome were those who opposed prohibition. They rushed at once to the telephones and to the telegraph station, and sent out the messages of which the one at the beginning of this story is a sample. In their feverish haste to get one back on those who are not in agreement with them on the liquor question, they threw discretion to the winds and put into circulation a "sensation" which has made Dunedin laugh itself into a delirium. Never had such a windfall as the stabbing of McCartney come their way since W. D. Hunt gave them that thousand pounds. For poor McCartney's feelings they had not the semblance of a concern. To be able to gloat over their liquor "friends" was a chance not to be missed, and they played their cards with the confidence that a winning hand prompts. Even if McCartney had really been waylaid and stabbed; the cruelty and audacity with which the apostles of Wowserism made capital out of the canard could not possibly have been equalled. What an awakening they will have when these, the facts of the "dastardly outrage," are given to the public. 

Just one word by way of conclusion: McCartney does not drink. He is a walking example of efflciency— that is,

WHEN HE'S NOT IN A FIT. "We have it, on the word of Mr. W. D. Bayley, that the police will not be required when the law enjoins that all men shall be like unto McCartney, the Alliance representative. In the light of recent developments, we are prepared to fall in with Mr. Bayley in this matter. People like McCartney have no need for police; what they want is a nurse. McCartney's employers made only one mistake. They should have seen to it that he postponed his fit until April 9. Then there would have been no chance offered for a refutation of their allegations.  -NZ Truth, 22/3/1919.