The brawls of a century ago

Today youthful brawls are the stuff of social media posts and handwringing editorials. A century ago both the courts and the national press could have a sense of humour about such things.

A bout of fisticuffs in Hamilton East’s Steele Park became a news story that ran throughout the country.

Clarence O’brien and Albert E. Lee were 16 years old. Both had designs upon the same young lady.

One evening in November, 1923, they fought for 15 minutes in public, then continued in a nearby backyard.

As a woman’s honour was the cause, the

Waikato Times labelled the bout a “duel”. O’brien’s version of events was relatively straightforward.

He claimed to be passing a shop where Lee worked and to have overheard a shriek of feminine distress.

Entering the premises, he found the object of his affection in the arms of his rival.

Given her screams, he presumed that the advances were unwanted and unsolicited.

An invitation to fight naturally followed. Lee claimed that the girl in question had been showing him attention for some time, asking for a contribution to a “blessed Sunday school” cause for which she was collecting.

Having been milked for various small sums he came to the conclusion that he should “have something for his money”. He offered the young lady 2s 6d in exchange for a kiss.

She was allegedly in favour of this deal. Lee was in the act of “taking his money’s worth” when O’brien so rudely interrupted.

The pair were charged with breaching the peace, and at trial the presiding magistrate was inclined to see the funny side.

When told that the fight was over a girl, the judge asked rhetorically if it was to see “who was entitled to her hand?”

Over the objections of the arresting senior sergeant, His Honour declared that “no harm” had been done and after a formal conviction discharged the lads without fine or further penalty. O’brien did not learn his lesson.

In 1928 he gave another opponent a “real good pummelling” outside a dance hall, calling the man out after a perceived slight.

He died the following year, at the tender age of twenty-one.