Captain-Lieut. Glinoksieck,
S.M.S. "Irene"
10
The defendants did not appear at 10 a.m. on the 10th December 1896 as required by the summonses and the Inspector deposing to service, warrants were issued as noted in the copies of summonses attached.
It would have been perfectly competent to the Commanding Officer of the "Irene" to have refused to accept service when the summonses were served. Had this been done, warrants would not have issued.
Service having however been accepted, to disobey the summonses was a gratuitous contempt of Court.
The Police had no reason to suppose such a course would be adopted there being firstly the defendants' own promise to attend and secondly the undertaking of the Commanding Officer of the ship in acceptance of service.
The warrants of course could only be executed if the defendants were ashore or afloat in any vessel not covered by the Man-of-War flag.
20th June, 1896.
(Signed) J.C.H. Hastings,
Acting Police Magistrate,
Late Acting Captain Superintendent of Police.