Magisterial.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 314, 17 May 1869, Page 2

Magisterial.

♦ CHRISTCHURCH. This Dat. (Before C. C. Bowen, Esq., R.M.) Stabbing. — Eliza Lambert, on remand i this offence, was again brought up, but Serg Major Purdy said the injured man was not a fit state to appear, and asked for a f urtl adjournment of the case. His Worship co senteii, naming Wednesday week for the p soner to be again brought up, or earlier, if t prosecutor was in a sufficiently recover state to give evidence. Drunkenness. — John Mcllroy.on bail.'w charged with having bten drunk and d orderly and assaulting the police on Saturd afternoon. Constable Halioran said arrested accused and another man for flghti in a public thoroughfare, and whilst cony iug them to the lock-up, prisoner drew clasp knife produced, and said, rather than further, he would me it upon witness. W ness wrested it from him, i>ut whilst doing the other prisoner struck him on the face « broke away. Prisoner was drunk and v< violent. Prisoner admitted the drunkenn and disorderly conduct, but denied drawi the knife with the intention of injuring constable. He said he was being strang by 6ome one holding his neck-tie, i he drew the knife for -the purpose cutting it. He was extremely so for his conduct, and begged the leniei of the Bench. His Worship said it was cused's first appearance, and he was theref not inclined to be severe with him; but drawing of the knife was a very reprehensi matter, and although inclined to treat il the result of drunkenness, it could not passed over without a penalty. He wo accordingly be fined 10s and costs. — Willi Ellis, the man referred to in the previous c as having escaped from the constable on way to the Depot, was brought up for hay been drunk and disorderly in (he first stance, and for subsequently being foi drunk and incapable in a public thoroughf He had previously been before the Bench a similar charge, and was fined 10s. W liapi Man son, on bail, was charged v [ having been drunk and riotous in a licer house on Saturday evening. From the deuce it appeared that he went to the He Hotel in a state of intoxication, and on b< refused a drink, struck Mr Brooker, landlord. His Worship imposed a flue 10s, and remarked that Mr Brooker was v right in refusing to supply accused w liquor when iv such a state. I XWilful'and Malicious Damage to ]■ vate Pkopekty. — Patrick Gallagher I brought up in custody, charged with haM wilfully damaged a paddock belonging! K.Currajgh. by sowing thereou a quantity sorrel seed/ Detective Feast said he arrefl prisoner on the warrant produced at PrebH ton, on Saturday after.. oon. He read I charge to him, and cautioned him in I usual way, when he ;>s!ced if witness thoifl he would do such a thing, and said that fl would swear any lies against him. Witfl took possession of the box produced, vl was standing outside the stable door. 'fl were sorrel seeds in it. Witnes then I mined some land pointed out to him, H found footmarks exactly corresponding S those made by prisoner. He brought H prisoner to Christchnrch, and returned al on Sunday morning with Sergeant PaH prosecutor, and a man named Roberts. 'iH went ou to the land, and close to the fl marks witness picked up the sorrel seed ■ duoe.i. He also noticed a quantity scattH over several acres of land in the vicinitH the footmarks, which evidently led fromH prisoner's house across the furrows and H again. There were no other footmark^ those referred to as corresponding witM prisoner's boot. He compared them oifl Saturday, when prisoner tried to prevetH by making his footmark two or three inH longer than usual. Witness, in consequH of it, had to take prisoner's boot off, vH there could be no doubt ns to the similaH He had found a quantity of sorrel seedH that in the box, near prisoner's house. H prisoner : lie could not say whether (H was sorrel seed on all the fields in the viciM but certainly not on newly broken up Mary Gallagher, daughter of the prisoner^! she had seen some sorrel seed in her fatS yard. It had been picked by herself H father in their paddock about three mcH ago. From then up to last week it was H in the box produced, in the bedroom, Friday morning last, she saw her father H the box iv his hand. He carried it out H prosecutor's land, and commenced sowii^B .She had told Charlie Roberts of it. H father had previously asked her to cow itH she would not. By Prisoner :No one jHj into her head to say these things. ne^B saw prisoner sowing the sorrel seed fror^B window, and then went out and wat M| him from the gable end of the stable. saw sorrel seed in the box the previous n^H but did not see any on that day until sh^H it on the ground. Charlie Roberts was i^M h table when she saw prisoner sow the but he had not put anything into her respecting the seed or about Mr I^H Charles Roberts, labourer, in the empl^H prisoner, said he had Been last wi^H in the house with leaves iv

hand, out of which sor.-el seed had been rubbed. She said to him at the timethat her father had gone out to sow the seed on prosecutor's ground. He at once got up and went into the yard, whan he saw prisoner with the box in his hand, in prosecutor* paddock. This was about 5 o'clock on the morning of Friday last. After he had done sowing, prisoner returned, and placed the box on a bench in front of the stable. The lani,h>id been newly ploughed, and he had since pointed the place out to Sergt. Pardj' and Detective Feast. There was sorrel seed on the land then. Prisoner had quarrelled with p.oseeutor a fortnight since about some horse*. By Prisoner: He had never seen sotrel seed in prisoner's hand, but prisoner was moving his .hand about as if sowing when on prosecutor's land. He had not had any words with last witness previous to the matter now under consideration, nor with Mr Inn°3. .Robert Curragh, farmer, residing ne \r the prisoner at Teaipleton, said he had lately ploughed ten acres of land on the opposite side of the road from prisoner's house. Heintendcdit for wheat, and it was ready for sowing. He was on the ground yesterday, and saw sorrel seed lying about. The land was considerably damaged by, it and he estimated the injury at about £80. It was the first time the land had been ploughed. He saw footmarks on the land. There h;id been words between himself and prisoner about pigs and hordes, belonging to the latter, straying on to his ltnd. By prisoner: He had not previously seen sorrel on the ground. There might be sorrel on unbroken land in the vicinity, but not loose seed lying about. Wm Park, farmer, residing at Terapleton. adduced to newly ploughed land being so injured by sorrel seed beinj? sown upon it as to be rendered worthless for three years, and estimated the cost of clearing it away at over £5 per acre. By prisoner: Hidid not know any paddock within a mile or two of the land in question but had sorrel in it. Prisoner, in defence, s id what had been sworn was false, and he believed it was the witness Roberts who had put the statements into his daughter's head. He had frequently turned Roberts away from his house, but he always came back again, and he could not get rid of him. His Worship said the matter was far too serious to be disposed of summarily, and he was sorry to say that it was not the first time such a dastardly' attempt to injure persons hud come before him. The prisoner would therefore be committed for trial at the next session of the Supreme Court.