Friday, April 6, 2012

“A QUICK-TEMPERED, VIOLENT MAN”


In the 1920s Theodore was having a run of bad luck with business deals and was constantly having income issues.  The household bills were feeling this, and his 2nd wife, Mary May Brice, constantly had to deal with how to meet the unpaid bills.

The Adelaide Electric Supply Company had a number of unpaid bills with the Vetter home in Semaphore, and decided to act in May 1927.  Wilfred Aldersey, the Electricity company’s accountant arranged for one of their collectors to go out to Semaphore and get the unpaid bill finalized and if this didn’t happen to turn the electricity off at the home’s meterbox.

On May 5th Francis Pascoe dually turned up at the Vetter home and knocked on the front door.  Mrs. Vetter answered the door, and Mr. Pascoe informed Mrs. Vetter why he was there.  Mrs. Vetter left Mr. Pascoe at the front door, leaving him with the impression that she was going to get money to clear the unpaid bill.  He started to fill out the receipt when Theodore appeared at the front door and asked Pascoe what he was doing there.

Mr. Pascoe repeated what he had already explained to Mrs. Vetter and that he was waiting for her to return with the money so he could complete the receipt. Theodore then advised Mr. Pascoe that he was going in to Adelaide the next day to do business and would pay the bill at the company’s office then. Mr. Pascoe informed Theodore that unless he was given the money then he was obliged to disconnect the electricity at the meterbox.

Theodore advised him that he had a deposit with the company as a guarantee that the electricity would not be cut off.  But Mr. Pascoe stated that he did not know of any such arrangement and needed to enter the house so that he could access the meterbox to disconnect the service.

As Mr. Pascoe went to step in the front door Theodore struck him with a blow to the side of the head, sending Mr. Pascoe back against the verandah wall.

About a month later on June 11th Mr. Pascoe again came face to face with Theodore.

This time in Port Adelaide Police Court, where Theodore was up in front of Mr. G.W. Halcombe, Stipendiary Magistrate, for assault.

Based on the information of both Mr. Pascoe and Mr. Aldersey, for the electricity company, Theodore was charged for having violently assaulted Francis J. Pascoe at Semaphore on May 5th.  Theodore pleaded not guilty to the charge.

Theodore was representing himself, and when cross-examining Mr. Pascoe, he proceeded to comment after every reply.  Starting with “Lie One” and eventually getting to “Lie Seven”, when the Magistrate’s warnings to Theodore sank in and he stopped with the acrimonious comments.  He then requested to cross-examine the Electricity Company’s counsel, Mr. A.M. Moulden, but at this the Magistrate was firm. He could not!!

Both Mr. Pascoe and Mr. Aldersey gave evidence, and it was clear that Theodore had indeed hit Mr. Pascoe, and that he had hit him so hard that Mr. Pascoe was initially deaf afterwards, and had ringing in his ear for the next 2 days.  Theodore also used abusive language towards Mr. Pascoe, telling him to “Get to ------ out of this” as Mr. Pascoe staggered on the verandah.

Theodore called his wife as a witness, and she stated that it was a lie for Mr. Pascoe to say a blow was struck.  Theodore then claimed that in fact Mr. Pascoe had pushed him as he tried to enter the house, and that Theodore had simply put him out on the verandah.

The Magistrate said that judging by the demeanor of Theodore in the Court room it was obvious he was a quick-tempered, violent man, with little control over himself, and that he did not believe the either Theodore or his wife.

He dually fined Theodore with assault and ordered him to pay a fine of £3 with an additional £3 2/ costs.


The Register – June 11, 1927 – COLLECTOR ASSAULTED
The Advertiser – June 11, 1927 – A COLLECTOR ASSAULTED

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