SUPREME COURT.

Auckland Star, Volume XXVII, Issue 135, 10 June 1896, Page 5

SUPREME COURT.

YESTERDAY.

CRIMINAL SITTINGS.

(Before His Honor Mr Justice Conoily

Sheep Stealing.—The charge preferred against Reginald Autheman, Lucrebia Autheman, John Baptist Autheman, and Jasper Hayter, of stealing three ewes and two wethers, the property of J. C. Johnson, ab Otonga on 14b_ March last, was reheard. The evidence was the same as given last week when the jury disagreed. Mr Steadman, of Whangarei, appeared for accused. The jury retired at a quarter to four o'clock, and returned to Court at half-past five, with a verdict of guilty against the female prisoner and not guilty against the others, and they returned a recommendation to mercy on behalf of the woman. Hayter, against whom there was no obher charge, was discharged, and the Authemaua were remanded until nexb day, as there was another charge preferred against, them.

THIS DAY.

Alleged Sheep stealing.—John Baptiste Autheman, Lucrotia Autheman and Reginald Autheman were charged with having, ab Otonga, stolon 22 sheep, tbe property of Alex. McKenzie.—Thia case was heard last week, bu.t the jury disagreed.—The Crown now offered no evidence in the case, and the jury accordingly returned a verdict of not guilty.—Lucretia Autheman, who was found guilty yesterday on another charge of sheep-stealing, was sentenced to nine months' imprisonment with hare} labour, and ordered to pay £20, the costs of the prosecution.

Alleged False Pretences.—Thomas Richardson James was charged with having on the 26Ui February obtained from Thos. Boweu by false pretences the sum of £18 15a. There was a second charge against accused that he did on the 27th February obtain by false pretences from Thomas Bowen the sum of £7 10s. Prisoner pleaded not guilty and was represented by Mr Cooper, Mr Tole, Crown Solicitor, conducting.the case for the prosecution.— Thomas Bowen deposed that on the 26th February he went to the Exchange with the intention of buying some Waihi-Consols. He met James and asked him what be thought was a suitable line to invest in. James named half a dozen mines, and VVaih.Con.olß were amongst the number. Witness then told him to buy 2-50 WaihiConsols at Is Cd, James saying thab he would probably have them in the afternoon. Witness visited the Exchange in the afternoon, and was told by James that the shares bad been bought on his account. James asked him if he would pay for them then. On witness saying yes, James took him into Mr Ashton's office, nod witness paid him £18 15s, getting a receipt for the money. Jamessaid he would give witness the transfer in the morning. Witnoss saw him tho following morning, bub James said he had been too busy to geb the transfer, that he would get it next day. On the 2Sth he again said he had been too busy, bub he would have ib on the 29th. On the 29fb he was again too busy, but he would get it tbo following day. Ou the firsb of March he gave witness a transfer, and told him not to let it go oub of his hands, as there might be some trouble if ib went astray. The transfer was to be signed by C. Stewart, a purchaser for whom witness had been buying. James told him to bring the transfer back again next day, and witness did bo. Ib was then signed by Stewarb. On witness handing ib back to James, the latter said he was going to geb it registered. Witness saw him several times subsequently about the transfer, and ap last he said he _ad "destroyed ib, but he would make oub a fresh one. That he bad never done. A couple of days afterwards witness was pressing bim very bard about thq transfer, and he then admitted that) he bad not bought the shares, that he bad been pushed and in trouble and had used the money. Ho also said he would pay witness ali the money back again. He made three or four different appointments, but ho never carried them out, and had never paid tbe money. On the 27th February witness went to the Exchange with the intention of buying another 100 Waihi Consols. He met James, and the latter said he would buy them for him, and would have them ready by the afternoon, ln afternoon he told witness thab he bad bought the shares, and asked bim if he would settle for them then. W ibness said said yes. James accordingly took him into Mr Ashton's office, where witness paid him £7 10s, and gob the receipt (produced). James promised to give the transfer in the morning, bub witness had never received any transfer in respect of the share*. Subsequently accused told witness be bad been pushed and had used tho money, that he had not bought the chares, but that he would pay him back all the money he had invested with him. This he had never done. The witness was cross-examined ab length by Mr Cooper.—Edward B. Gilfilian, clerk in the employ of Henry Gilfilian, junr., manager of the Waihi Consols Company, deposed thab neither the accused nor Bowen ever had any Waihi Consol chares in hi. name in bhe books of the Company.— This closed the case for the prosecution.— Mr Cooper said thab after the evidence of the firsb witness he would withdraw the plea of not guilty and plead guilty, but he would ask His Honor to defer sentence until after the other cases were heard. In the nexb case he had a good defence.—Sentence was deferred.—Accused was further charged with thab he did on the 2nd November, 1595, deal with a certain forged documenb as if it were genuine.—Prisoner pleaded nob guilty.—On the .application of Mr Cooper, tbe jury who heard the previous case weie excluded when the jury to try this case were being empanelled.—R. F. Buttermore, the first witness called; gave evidence to the etloct that some time last year he purchased some shares in the Mew Uolconda Goldmining Company through James, had them transferred into his (witness') name in due course, bub some time afterwards he found they bad been transferred from his name into thab of the prisoner. Witness had not given James any authority at any time to sign his name to a transfer. The witness. was crossexamined by Mr Cooper ab considerable length with reference to his various transactions in shares with James. He believed there had been an engagement between James and one of his sisters, and thab it was broken off some time in March last. He denied having signed any transfer of the New Golconda shares in Ashton's office, or thah he ever lent them bo James. He recognised a transfer (produced) of 200 shares in the Moanataiari North from Henry Johnston to R. F. Buttimore. The signature "R. F. Buttermore" was bis. He recognised also another transfer of Moanataiari Norkh (produced) signed by "R. F. Buttermore" as seller. The signature was a forgery. Witness did nob lend those shares to James. He laid an information for forgery against James in respect of tbis transfer the day after the information in respect of the New Golcondas, but ib was afterwards withdrawn by Mr Napier's advice, there not being sufficient evidence.

(Left Sitting.)