When John Taylor was running the Albany Hotel he had a brush with the police who accused him of harbouring deserters from the Albany garrison. The soldiers had been celebrating New Year’s Eve in1894 and a few decided to remain at the hotel rather than return to the barracks. John was ex-army and probably took pity on them and agreed to hide them, but his decision came unstuck when the premises were searched the next day and the deserters discovered. The case was heard in the Albany Police Court a few days later and John escaped conviction. The Magistrate’s remarks suggested that he did not believe him but the case lacked sufficient evidence to convict. The case was something of a scandal and was reported on in the press.
At the Police Court this morning John Taylor, landlord of the Albany Hotel, was summoned for harbouring a deserter from the Permanent Artillery. Evidence was given by Corporal Clarke, Bombardier Black, and Gunner Murphy that on New Year’s evening Loan and Murphy get leave till midnight, and went about the town drinking. Next day two escorts were sent to the hotel. The landlord denied that the men were there. Subsequently Loan was found by the first escort and Murphy by the second. The latter was found under a bed in which a bolster was placed to imitate a man. In the same room he found Corporal Marchant and Gunner Black, and the lot were placed under arrest and marched to the barracks. The evidence showed that Taylor was not aware that the men were on the premises, and also that Murphy had no intention of deserting, but was suffering from the result of a New Year’s spree. The case was dismissed, but the magistrate would not grant costs, considering that Taylor had not acted with sufficient care with such a number of soldiers in his house. Mr. Haynes, for the defendant, was prepared to call evidence to show that Murphy was smuggled to bed in order to evade the watchfulness of the defendant. The magistrate thought that Capt. Harvest had done his duty in bringing the case forward, as it would show the publicans what a severe clause was in the new Military Act. It came out in evidence that Marchant, who is a well-known cricketer, had been reduced to the rank of bombardier for gross carelessness in not arresting men whom he knew to be absent without leave.1
John got off but this was not to be his only brush with the justice system in Western Australia.
John left the Albany Hotel after a short stay and took over the Royal George Hotel, also in Albany, paying £1,500 for it. This was a sizable sum for the time and equates to about $250, 000 today (2022). He borrowed about half of the money from an Albany man named Barrett, giving him a covenant to trade solely with him. The business did not prosper and John had to sell out, losing money in the process.2
When he was at the Royal George he found himself before the court again, this time accused of using abusive language towards the owner of another, rival hotel. The substance of the case was that John got into an altercation with the publican of the London Hotel who he accused of speaking badly about the way he managed the Royal George. Once again the trial was reported in the press.
ALBANY POLICE COURT
WEDNESDAY.—Before the Government Resident (Mr. Loftie), the Hon. J. A Wright, and Mr. A. Y. Hassell, M.L.A.
ABUSIVE LANGUAGE.
John Taylor, landlord of the Royal George Hotel, was summoned for having used abusive language to Boorn Ross, landlord of the London Hotel, on the 17th inst.
Mr. Dymes appeared for the complainant, and detailed the facts of the case, and said that Mr. Taylor had had an opportunity of publicly apologising for what he had said, but he refused to do so, and there was nothing left but for his client to come into Court.
Boorn Ross, proprietor of the London Hotel, said that on Friday evening last he saw the defendant in the hotel about a quarter to 8 o’clock in the evening. He came in with two others, Miller and Humphreys, and went into the front bar. Witness was in the office at the time with Mr. Drew, and had occasion to go out for some refreshments. There were several people in the bar, and the defendant, pointing to witness, said : ” That’s Mr. b— Boorn Ross; he’s a b— fraud, a d— scoundrel and a vagabond.” Taylor also said that he (witness) had robbed the Royal George, and that he was robbing him, and that if he was half a b— man he would come out and fight him. Taylor was either drunk or mad. Taylor also said that witness was drummed out of the New South Wales Militia, but witness was never in the militia. The defendant must have been either drunk or mad. Taylor also said that witness was nothing but a common informer and police spy. Witness advised Taylor to go home. Witness went to put him out, but he disappeared. He had given him an opportunity of publicly apologising for what he had done. Witness did not know what Taylor meant by saying that he was robbing him.
There was further evidence showing that John and his friends had been to several hotels before coming to the London and they were all probably quite drunk. At one stage John apparently asked the rival publican to fight him.
The court did not take long to convict him and imposed a fine.
Mr. Loftie : The question is which is the publican and which is the sinner. (Laughter).
Mr. Dymes : All publicans are sinners.
Mr. Loftie said that the Bench were unanimous that Taylor should be convicted, and as to the evidence of Miller and Humphreys [John’s drinking mates] the least said about it the better. The defendant was fined £2 and £2 1 Is. costs.3
These days it is unlikely that John’s behaviour or language would result in charges, but in a country town like Albany in the 1890s it was not acceptable. After the army deserters case John probably earned a reputation. He moved further east to the town of Esperance where he again got into hotel management. His adventures in Albany had financial consequences, however, and he had to file for bankruptcy.
- ‘Charge Against a Publican of Harbouring a Deserter’, The West Australian, 4 Jan 1895, p.5
- See reports of bankruptcy proceedings in the Inquirer and Commercial News 29 Dec 1899, p.13 and the West Australian 1 Jan 1896, p.6.
- ‘Albany Police Court’, The Australian Advertiser, 24 May 1895, p.3.
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