John William Healy

John William Healy
Occupation	Publican, Baker
Years active	1922
Known for	Athletic Club Hotel
Home town	Ballarat

John William Healy was a publican and baker in Ballarat, Victoria, <1922>.

History

Healy was publican at the Athletic Club Hotel, on the corner of Mair and Peel Streets.

In March 1922 he was charged with breaching the licensing laws:

"UNMITIGATED LIARS." Counsel's Strong Language. BALLARAT, Tuesday.-"You have no right to say that," remarked Mr Harris P.M., in the City Court on Tuesday, when Mr. D. Clarke characterised the police witnesses in a licensing prosecution as "unmitigated liars." Mr. Clarke said that he considered that he had every justification for the remark, and added that he would call witnesses to prove that the licensee was not in the hotel at the time when a police constable said, that he was being supplied with drink. The case was one in which John William Healy, licensee of the Athletic Club Hotel, was charged with having disposed of liquor, with having had the bar door open, and that persons were found on the premises during prohibited hours. One con stable who had been on special licensing duty gave evidence that he was twice supplied with beer, and a second constable said that he was present when the second drink was obtained. The licensee, his wife, and several witnesses swore that Healy was at Sebastopol at the time that the second drink was alleged to have been served. Some of the witnesses stated that the second constable was not on the premises. Mr. Harris said that it was hard to disbelieve the police, and still harder to disbelieve the witnesses for the defence. Apparently some mistake had been made. The charges were dismissed. Costs were refused.

In December 1922 he was charged on the City Court with having operated a pawnbroking business without a license:

PUBLICAN AS PAWNBROKER. FINE OF £20 INFLICTED. BALLARAT, Wednesday. An unusual prosecution took place at the City Police Court yesterday. John William Healy, licensee of the Athletic Club Hotel, was charged with having carried on business as a pawnbroker without a license. Robert Binder stated that he obtained a loan of £1 from the defendant, and left, an overcoat with him as a security. Two days later he paid £1 and 5/ interest, and got the coat. Later he again pawned the coat, with Healy and obtained £1 on it. His wife heard about the transaction, and demanded the coat from Healy, but, he said she would have to pay £1/5/ for it. She consulted the police, and paid Healy with some marked coins, which were subsequently found in the possession of the defendant. In fining Healy the maximum penalty of £20, Mr. W. W. Harris, P.M., characterised it as a bad case, and said that if he were sitting as a Licensing Bench he would have no hesitation in refusing Healy a license.

By 1926, Healy was working as a baker. He was in court for a traffic offence in January 1926:

BALLARAT. John W. Healy was charged at the city court on Tuesday with having driven a motor car on the wrong side of the road without justifiable cause, at the intersection of Sturt and Lydiard streets on 24th December. Senior Constable Elliott said defendant came up Sturt street, and turned north into Lydiard-street, going four feet on the wrong side of the traffic dome. Witness saw no other traffic in the way. Defendant's explanation that he made the turn in order to avoid a car coming from Lydiard-street south was accepted by the bench, and the case was dismissed.