CRIMINAL.

Auckland Star, Volume XXII, Issue 239, 8 October 1891, Page 6

CRIMINAL.

Joe Dicks, formerly hotelkeeper at Sydenham, was arrested at Oamaru with £973 on him. He was committed for trial on a charge of attempting to leave the colony with property worth over £10, he being" adjudicated a bankrupt at the time. In consequence of information telegraphed by Inspector Broham to Constable Hogg, that officer awaited the arrival of the s.s. Glenelg atKohukohu on September 28. Ho searched the baggage of a passenger named William Vereker Bindon for an illicit still, and, as a result of his investigation, took him into custody on the charge of having an illicit still in his possession.

Great interest was manifested on Sept. 11 at the Supreme Court, when the charge of alleged libel preferred by Hugh Shortland against John Liddell Kelly was called before Mr Justice Conolly. Mr Hugh Campbell appeared for. the defendant, and suggested that the case against Henry John Baulf should betaken at the same time, as the evidence was identical. This was done, and evidence having been taken bhe jury reburned a verdicb of nob guilty in both cases. Bis Honor gave judgment for the defendants.

On Saturday, September 19, some £30 worth of jewellery was stolen from the house of Mr Peyton, Devonport, and the peculiar feature is thab the theft was perpetrated when there wore persons in the dwelling. Apparently the thief went in open daylight, and", finding the bed-room window open, abstracted the jewellery from the dressing-table, which could be done without even enteriug bhe room. Ab the time of the robbery Mrs Peyton was engaged at the rear of the house. The articles purloined consist of bracelets, brooches, and a diamond ring.

An important discovery was made on Sepc 29 by the police authorities, what is alleged to be an illicit still having been disclosed in Customs-street, entrance being effected from the premises of Mr Edward Downing, aerated water and cordial manufacturer. The detectives having got some information Detective Hughes obtained search warrants from the P.M., Dr. Giles, about h_lf-pasb eleven o'clock a.m., and immediately afterwards the police raided the premises. The only occupant downstairs was a lad named Edward Keightly, who seemed much surpristd at the sudden visitation. His astonishment appeared bo increase when the party marched to tho rear of the ground floor of the factory, and removing some bottles discovered a doorway chopped out of the brick wall of the hotel. Mr Downing stated thab he used bhe room for the purpose of making ginger wine. Downing and bwo other men named Simpson and Davis were arrested. The accused appeared on remand at the Police Court on October 7th. They were charged that on the 29th September at Auckland they did unlawfully have in their possession certain utensils and apparatus, including a copper boiler, with piping and taps attached to the same, for the distillation of spirits, wibhoub having iirsb obtained a license for keeping and using bhe same, they having thereby each become liabie to a penalty of £500. There w.-x;; n second charge involving another £500 forfeiture. There is also a charge against Downing of having the articles on his premises without having obtained the license as required by the Acb, thereby rendering himself liable to a penalty of £500. The accused were remanded.

Mr Justice Conolly sab unbil nine o'clock on Saturday nighb, September 12, in order to conclude the evidence and addresses of counsel in the charge of libel upon a young girl preferred against Hugh Shortland, solicitor. The Court was crowded throughout the whole day. The case concluded on the following Monday, when the jury brought in a verdict of guilty. His Honor, in passing sentence, said that during the long "criminal sitting just closing it had been his duty to try many prisoners upon various charges and to pass upon them such sentences as the law provided, but there had nob been one amongst the crimes dealt with that had aroused in his mind such horror as that of the prisoner. He had been convicted of publishing deliberately most gross charges against an innocent girl, ab the same time well knowing them to be utterly false. He had repeated, those charges after an interval of some months, and had supported bhem by perjury. Ib might be thought strange that while the law allows the addition of hard labour and penal servitude for crimes of less magnibude, he regretted to say thab ib did not provide for these additions to punishmeut in this case. He was happy to say that he had never yob been called upon to order bhe lash, but he felt on this occasion that ib was strange the law did nob allow some addition to tho punishment. The defendant's evil designs had happily utterly failed, and the young girl had come out from a terrible ordeal scathless. He was gb.A that she had the true conscious innocence which admitted of a medical examination. Had that nob beon done some persons might be found to say thab bhere was probably some plight foundation for the vile charges. Now, however, her fair fame, which should be dourer than life itself, was absolutely established. The sentence he should pass would be such a one as would give the prisoner time for reflection, and, he hoped, repentance, and he trusted it would be for his benefit, although he had small expectation that anything which fell from his lips, or any punishment he might impose, would touch bhe heart of ono so debased, and who had shown himself be so destitute of overy spark of that honour which should innate in every man. Tho sentence of the Courtwould be two years' imprisonment.