POLICE COURT.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 137, 10 June 1907, Page 5

POLICE COURT.

THIS DAY. I j (Before Mr C. C. Kettle, SJU.) |* The Drunkards.—Joseph Brennan, an ! old man 70 years of age, promised to ab- ! stain for six months, and was convicted I and discharged on payment of costs. A ! woman and two men, who did not appear, forfeited their bail, and another ; was fined 5/ and costs, in default 24 hours. Indecency.—For indecency in Elliott street, an elderly man named William Humphries, who said he was a stranger in Auckland, was ordered to remain in custody until five o'clock to-night. Mr Glaister represented the defendant. Bad Language.—A man named Albert Evans was charged with drunkenness and using obscene language in Queenstreet. His Worship inflicted a fine of 5/ and costs for drunkenness, and £1 on the more serious charge. Alleged Theft.—A charge of stealing a purse and contents, valued at £9, from Elizabeth Tattersall on June 1 was preferred against John Ledwedge. The complainant said the defendant was boarding- at her house, and, on the day iv question, she missed a purse from her coat pocket, containing £!). The defendant had stood close to her in the kitchen, and made the remark: '"There will be* trouble over this in the morning," and left the room. As he left, witness discovered that her purse, which she had had a few minutes before, -was gone. Witness asked for it back later on, and Ledwedge replied, "Do you think I'm mad?*' In reply to Serjeant Hendry, witness said she had charged the defendant with theft on two other occasions, and he had replaced the money. Ledwedge had been drinkin*** heavily during his visit to town. Sergeant Eales said that when he acquainted the defendant of the charge against him, he said, "Well, that's all ri<»ht. I cant help it. FU go quietly with yon." Later on he said that if he did take the purse he knew nothing about it, as he was drunk. The complainant, recalled, said she realty believed that the defendant had appropriated her purse. His Worship then adjourned the case in order to allow further evidence to be called.