For many years in Dunedin, mention of "the Arcade" meant only one place. The pedestrian arcade between High and Maclaggan streets was the place to go for shopping for many years. It was also the place to go for Dunedin youth with nothing else to do, and they would, at times, congregate, to the discomfort of shopper and shopkeeper alike.
THE COURTS TO-DAY.
CITY POLICE COURT.
(Before Messrs J. H. Morrison and J. A. Millar, J.P.s.)
Vagrancy. — John McNabb , a young man, charged with this offence, pleaded not guilty. Plain-clothes Constable Cooney said he had known accused for the last three years. He was an associate of convicted thieves, and had done no work during the last three months. He was the ring leader of the Arcade gang, who were a great annoyance to shopkeepers. He was out at all hours of the night, and he (witness) had spoken to him about not trying to get work. — Mr Morrison, thought that some of the shopkeepers in the Arcade should come to the court and give evidence. — Detective McGrath stated that the shopkeepers were afraid of these young men breaking their windows if they came to the court and gave evidence. — Further evidence was given by Constables McIntyre and Scully. Mrs McNabb, the mother of accused, said she was supported by accused and his brother, after which the Bench sentenced accused to seven days’ imprisonment with hard labor. — Mrs McNabb raised a laugh by saying the police should find work for her son when he came out of gaol. -Evening Star, 9/2/1895.
CITY POLICE COURT.
(Before Messrs A. Solomon and M. Sullivan, J.P.s.)
“The Arcade Pirates.” — Walter Shaw was charged with committing a breach of the peace in the Arcade on the 12th inst. — Sergeant O’Neill stated that at half-past nine on the night in question the constable on duty in the neighborhood of the Arcade saw a number of young men assembled together at the Maclaggan street end of the Arcade. Accused, who was among the mob, was fighting and striking out when the constable arrested him; — Constable Wohlmann stated that accused was the captain of a “push” known as “The Arcade Pirates.” Their conduct on the whole was very bad. They stood in front of the shop windows and obstructed the traffic. They were a public nuisance. David Ritchie said he saw accused strike a young man named Riley. — Joseph Pembleton, caretaker of the Arcade, said that accused was one of the ringleaders of a gang who were in the habit of congregating in the Arcade. — Mr C. M. Mouat, who defended, said that accused would say that one of his mates was fighting in the Arcade, and that he endeavored to separate the men, when one of them attacked him. — The defendant stated that some young men were fighting the Riley brothers. He tried to separate them, and told one of the Rileys he ought to be ashamed of himself, fighting drunken men. Riley replied that he knew the Arcade “push,” and would fight thirty of them. He then struck out, and he (witness) put up his hands in defence, To Sergeant O’Neill: I am not one of the gang now. I severed my connection with them eight mouths ago. — Sergeant O’Neill: How did you lose your commission? — Witness: I just left. — Mr Solomon said that there was no doubt that the conduct of "the Arcade Pirates push” or "gang” was a public scandal. Accused was to some extent connected with them, he was at fault on this occasion. He would be fined 40s and costs. -Evening Star, 14/9/1896.
Brawling in the Arcade. — Wm. Skerry and Arthur Coughlin were charged with creating a breach of the peace in the Arcade on the 12th inst. Mr Hanlon defended. — Sergeant O'Neill said that the principal of the gang that caused the disturbance in the Arcade on the night in question had been already fined 40s for his share in the row. The police, as the result of inquiries, could now prove that the men before the court had also participated in the disorderliness. — George Riley, Robert Shaw, and James Craig, three young men who were in company in the Arcade on the night referred to, gave evidence that they were wantonly attacked by a "push" of about a dozen, including the two defendants; Henry Harvey, who was at the time walking with his wife, said that he saw Skerry strike two blows and Coughlin with his fist closed run after someone, and Constable Wohlman described the nature of the scene. — Mr Hanlon submitted that the evidence for the police was inconsistent in regard to material points; that the party known as the "pirate push" had not been proved to have done anything wrong; and that it was positively childish to assume that they were formidable or offensive simply because someone, probably a boy, had given them the name of "the pirates." — Arthur Coughlin said that he was a grocer's assistant and had nothing to do with any "push" of "pirates." He saw the scramble on the occasion mentioned, but had no part in it at all. — Skerry, a groom, also denied that he was actively concerned in the disturbance, and said that he struck no blow either with his fist or with a stick. — The Bench said they had made up their minds to convict. — Sergeant O'Neill, being asked as to the records of the accused, said that there was nothing known against Coughlin; but Skerry had been twice convicted of larceny and of drunkenness. — Skerry was fined 40s and Coughlin 10s, a fortnight's time being allowed for payment. — An application by the police for witnesses' expenses was declined. -Evening Star, 22/9/1896.
IDLE AND DISORDERLY.
John McNab, a powerful looking man of middle age, entered pleas of guilty to being an idle and disorderly person with insufficient risible means of support, and with habitually consorting with thieves and prostitutes. Chief Detective McGrath stated that accused had previous convictions at Dunedin for vagrancy, and for assault and robbery. As a boy, he had belonged to the "Arcade Push" in Dunedin, a very bad band of boys, who had turned out equally bad men. Accused was convicted on each charge, and sentenced to three months' imprisonment with hard labour, the sentences to be concurrent. -Dominion, 2/10/1907.
"He is one of the old ‘Arcade push’ in Dunedin,” said Chief-Detective McGrath yesterday, in the Magistrate's Court, with reference to a man he was prosecuting for being an idle and disorderly person. "They were all very bad boys, and have all turned out very bad men." The “push" referred to was in existence about ten years ago, and kept the neighbourhood in terror, until dispersed by the police. The gang has since been scattered all over New Zealand, and numerous convictions have been entered against its members in various towns. Some of them have established quite a record in crime. At one time three of them were committed for trial on a charge of house-breaking, and released on bail. They relieved the monotony of waiting for the criminal session of the Supreme Court by carrying out a second similar escapade, in which they were also detected and brought to justice. Wellington is "favoured" by the presence of three members of the "push,” all of whom are frequently the cause of trouble to the police. -NZ Times, 2/10/1907.
McNAB NABBED.
Tec. Cassell's Has a Chase.
And Hooks Him with a Brolly.
The fact that a bludger is sent to gaol is nothing of extraordinary import in Wellington, though it would be a great deal more satisfactory if the parasite was gaoled more frequently and gaoled often enough to qualify him for the Habitual Stakes, so that he could be jugged until such time as he gave unmistakeable signs that he would bludge no more. Anyhow, on Tuesday morning last, Magistrate Riddell has before him at the S.M. Court a very dirty specimen of this unholy class in the shape of one John McNab, whom Detective Cassells had nabbed the previous evening. In order, though, that McNab would be fixed properly, he was charged with being an idle and disorderly person, having no visible means of support, and, further, being
A ROGUE AND VAGABOND, habitually consorting with thieves and prostitutes. To both these impeachments the McNab pleaded guilty, nor did he express repentance or ask for leniency, and Chief Detective McGrath said that in view of the pleas of guilty, little need be said, and the little that was said went to show that the McNab, who is only a young man, had ever since youth been a crook, having graduated in Dunedin, where he was a member of the now infamous gang known as the Arcade Push. This precious push in its time were rip-snorters, and did very much towards damaging dour Dunedin's name and fame for holiness. The push, happily, is broken up. Most of them turned out crooks, and all, more or less, are at present in one or other of His Majesty's prisons. McNab got a sentence of three months on each charge, the sentences to be concurrent, so, in fact, he got off light. But it is around McNab's capture that something has to be told, showing how useful in the hands of a detective is an umbrella. Late on the Monday evening, Detective Cassells espied McNab in Aitken-street, and though the 'tec. had not been to a clairvoyants that night, and no medium had gone into a trance or seen things, Cassells recognised McNab as a "bludger," and there was no necessity for a spirit-seer or raiser to tell him that, particularly as at the time he was
TALKING TO TWO PROSTITUTES. Judging McNab fit material for Court work, he spoke to the "bludger," who made off. Up one street and down another ran the pair. Through the Parliamentary Grounds they streaked. It looked a moral for McNab in the run home, but no. Getting within almost touching distance of his man, Cassells, who was carrying a brolly with a hooked handle, shoved it out and caught McNab around the throat, and of course that settled him. McNab goes to gaol vowing vengeance against all sorts of brollies. If he had his way special legislation would be enacted for their abolition. -NZ Truth, 5/10/1907.
After this, the name of John McNab (or McNabb) ceases to appear connected with criminal matters. He may have reformed, he may have left the country. We may never know.
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