THE AGE: July 9, 1872 CITY COURT. – MONDAY, 8TH JULY. THE LARRIKIN NUISANCE.- John Furlong, Hugh Turner, and John Harvey were charged with insulting behaviour. The prisoners formed part of a gang of fifty larrikins who were using most blasphemous and obscene language while people were passing along Russell-street to their various places of worship on Sunday morning. Some constables made a raid upon them, but they all got away (except the prisoners), and as they were retreating they shouted out at the top of their voices a triumphant “hurrah.” The present was Furlong’s first appearance before the court, and he was discharged with a caution. The other two were fined 10s., or seven days imprisonment. Edward Piggot and Daniel Tierney were brought up for fighting in the Eastern Market. Messrs. Turner and Read were engaged for the defendants, but their answer to the charge was that both clients were in the right. The bench fined each prisoner 10s., or forty-eight hours’ imprisonment. John Ryan was charged with misconducting himself with other young ruffians in Lonsdale-street, and was fined 20s., or three days imprisonment. David Clegg, brought up for fighting with some woman, and obscene conduct, was ordered to pay 5s. fine or go to gaol for twenty-four hours. Henry Mullinger and John Crossen were fined 5s. each for fighting in the streets; and Thomas Johnston, Charles Cody, and John Williams, for a similar offence at half-past ten on Sunday morning in Spring-street, were fined 20s. or fourteen days’ imprisonment. A SUSPICIOUS CHARACTER. – John Riley, a man with a very repulsive countenance, was charged with insulting behaviour. The prisoner, on Saturday afternoon, was at a restaurant in Swanston-street, and the landlord noticed exposed out of his pocket the butt end of a pistol. He took the pistol out of the pocket , whereupon the prisoner told him he had been too deep in his pocket, and that he had better take care he didn’t make him feel for it. He then asked for a bed, but witness refused to accommodate him, whereupon prisoner replied that in that case he ought to be paid the price of one. In answer to the charge prisoner said he only came down from Creswick on Friday, and he intended going up to New South Wales. The constable said that when he arrested the prisoner he found in his pockets a quantity of powder, shot, and some pellets. The prisoner admitted that fact, and said a pistol was a very handy article on the road. Prisoner was discharged with a caution, but Mr. Sturt ordered the detention of the pistol. ______ THE AGE, January 7, 1875 CITY COURT, - MONDAY 1 ST MARCH LARRIKINS. – Jas. O’Brien was charged with insulting behaviour. The prisoner, with a crowd of turbulent young fellows, assembled at the corner of Little Lonsdale and Stephen streets and when a constable went up to them and requested them to disperse the prisoner offered to fight the officer. He was then arrested. It was proved that the prisoner had been three months in gaol for a similar offence. Fined 5 pounds, or three months’ imprisonment. Thos. McCormick, Wm. O’Leary, and John Brown, alias Hayes, were charged with insulting behaviour, and O’Leary and Brown were also charged with assaulting the police. It was proved that the two last named were a terror to the neighbourhood of Lonsdale and Stephen streets, and that O’Leary was the treasurer of the Larrikins’ defence fund. They had been previously convicted, and were now each sentenced to six months’ hard labour, and McCormick to three months’ hard labour. ______

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