SUPREME COURT.

Auckland Star, Volume XXVIII, Issue 131, 7 June 1897, Page 2

SUPREME COURT.

CRIMINAL SESSIONS.

SATURDAY

(Before His Honor Mr Justice Conolly.) The Mount Eden Shooting Cask.—After we went to press on Saturday afternoon, the jury found James Lowrie, an elderly man, guilty on a charge of firing a revolver ab his son, Frank Lowrie, with intent) to do him grievous bodily harm. — His Honor eaid that Lowrie was a dangerous man, and that he bad not the slightest doubt that the accused had intended injuring his sons if not killing them. Ho had proTtonsly served two years for an asaaulb on his wife. He sentenced Lowrio to four years' hard labour in Mounb Kden Gaol.

THIS DAY,

Theft.—John Dunn was brought up for sentence this morning on the charge of theft upon which he was convicted. Hia Honor said he was very much averse to sending a man to prison. Although the prisoner had not been able to produce any witnesses as to his character beyond that given by the constable, still, long experience on the Bench had made His Honor have some idea from the appearance of a man whether or not ho was an habitual criminal. His Honor said he did not believe the prisoner was an habitual thief, therefore he would be admitted to probation for 12 months conditionally upon his paying £7 10a cores of prosecution.

Alleged Assault. — Wm. John MeKenzie pleaded not guilty to the charge of having on May 20ch, 1897, assaulted Constable W. A. Bailey while the latter was in the execution of his duty. — MrTole conducted the prosecution, and Dr. Laishley appeared for the dofenca.—Evidence was given for the prosecution by Constables Bailey and Kennedy. For the defence Jameß Grainger and Patrick Sheehan was called to prove that accused had been knocked down, and upon getting to his feet seizsd Bailey without knowing he was a police officer.—Dr. Laishley, in addressing the jury, said had this simply bean a charge of common assault there would practically have been no defence, bub this was a charge of assaulting a police officer, and the evidence for fche defence showed accused did nob recognise the officer at) the time he seized him.—His Honor said the charge was practicully admitted and couid be altered to common assault if the jury so desired.—At 2 p.m. the jury returned into Court with a vardicb of guilty.—His Honor said this was a very aggravated case of assault. Ho waa sorry to see that the practice of garrotting waa becoming known to some of the criminal classes in this colony. Kven supposing the prisoner did nob know that Bailey was a police officer, be was not justified in adopting such a brutal method. Such conduct was entirely indefensible. Prisoner was sentenced to eighteen months' imprisonment with hard labour.

Alleged Robbery and Assault. — Wm. Small was charged with having robbed W. H. Stead of £1 7a on the 31st of March, and also struck him.—Prisoner, who pleaded nob guilty, waa unrepresented by counsel.