SUPREME COURT.

Auckland Star, Volume XXVIII, Issue 206, 3 September 1897, Page 4

SUPREME COURT.

YESTERDAY,

(Before Hl3 Honor Mr Justice Conolly.) Theft of an Overcoat. —A young man named John Monaghan was indicted that on 2Sr jh July last he stole from tho Pier Hotel one overcoat, tho property of Leonard George Baker. A second count) charged him with recaiving the overcoat knowing it to have been dishonestly obtained.—Prieoner, who plaaded not guilty on Tuesday last, was undefended by counsel.—Mr Tole, Crown Prosecutor, said the case was a simple one of theft or having received stolen property. Mr Baker, residing at the Pier Hotel, left his macintosh overcoat in the passage at cix o'clock, and when he went for it at half pact nine ib was gone. The accused was found wearing, the coat.—Evidence waß given by Mr Baker, commission agent, who identified the coat, which had coat him £3 103 six months previously.—Cousbable Kennedy deposed to Beeing prisoner wearing the coat, which was subsequently identified by Mr Baker as his property.— The jury found the prisoner guilty. —Chief Detective Grace was called and said there were four convictions against tho prisoner this year.—His Honor, looking at the convictions remarked that there were convictions for breaches of by-lawa. He supposed accused was one of the men licensed to drive a cab after beiug in gaol. Detective Grace replied that prisoner was not so licensed when arrested on the charee.—His Honor, addressing prisoner, said that repeated convictions did not act as a warning. It was a daring and impudent robbery: He would sentence him to nine months' imprisonment with hard labour.

Theft of a Swag.—Harry Gregerson, a foreigner, was indicted that on the 20th of July he stole a tweed coab and other articles of clobhing, a theodolite, barometer and two watches, the property of Nathaniel Thompson.—Prisoner pleaded nob guilty. —Mr Tole said the charge against prisoner might be termed stealing an assorted swag. Tho swag was taken from the passage of the Pier Hotel. — Nathaniel Thompson deposed that he was a miner. He had come up from the Thames ana brought the swag with him. The articles ho valued ab £40. The two watches, tboodolite and barometer were still missing.—Thomas Duekebb, handcart man, who left the swag in the Pier Hotel passage for a few minutes, gave ovideDce, aleo S. Coombe, barman at the Pier Hotel in July last, who deposed to seeing prisoner atand : ing outside the front entrance of the hotel at the time the handcart man put the swag in the passage.—Constables McNamaraand Fraaer and a youth named Lynch also gave evidence,—Lynch said he saw a man very much like prisoner pick a swag up from insido the Pier Hobel door aod carry it up the streeb. Part of the property wae afterwards found off Shortland-sbreet.— The jury returned a verdict of guilty, bub Hi 3 Honor deferred sentence to enable the police to make inquiries aboub prisoner. Alleged •In decent Assault. —In the charge against George Snaith Cross that, on June 20bh, ab Punakitere (Hokianga county), he did indocontly assault a young Maori woman named Uri Ruhui, aged 18, the jury returned a verdict) of not guilty, and accused was discharged.