POLICE COURT.

Auckland Star, Volume 23, Issue 23, 28 January 1926, Page 8

POLICE COURT.

(Before Mr. J. YV. Poynton. S.M. SERIOUS ASSAULT ALLEGED. A charge of assaulting David Cormack so as to cause actual bodily harm was brought against John Joseph Ryan, for whom Mr. J. J. Sullivan appeared. On the application of Senior Detective Hammond, accused was remanded until February 3. Bail in one surety of £50 was allowed. PUZZLE FOR POLICE. '"We don't know what to do with her. The old lady has no friends here, but she is in receipt of the old age pension." said Sergeant Powell, about Sophie Darnill (73). who was charged with being an idle and disorderly person with insufficient lawful means of support. The sergeant added that, with the exception of her appearance for drunkenness yesterday, she was unknown to the police. The old lady was remanded until February 4. In the meantime efforts will be made to have her admitted to a home. SEAFARING MAN IN TROUBLE. A young seafaring man again appeared on a charge of indecently assaulting a woman of 74. The victim of the assault was examined by Dr. D. N. YV. Murray, who stated that there were no marks indicating that violence had been used on the woman. Accused, who pleaded not guilty, was committed for trial at the Supreme Court. The names of accused and the witnesses were ordered to be suppressed. FOREMAN STEALS TIMBER. A middle-aged man, employed as a foreman in an Auckland timber yard, whose name the magistrate ordered should be suppressed, pleaded guilty when charged with stealing a beam of oak valued at £18, the property of his employer. In outlining the circumstances of the case, Sergeant Powell said that accused caused to be removed to his own house a valuable beam of oak. He had never been in trouble before. Accused had been in charge of the timber yard and the men employed there. Mr. Leary. who appeared for accused, drew attention to the fact that he removed the piece of oak under circumstances of the most open nature. The man had a conscience and even went to the manager and told him that he took the timber. The magistrate adriiitted accused to probation for a period of two years. A SERIOUS CHARGE. A young man, Richard Pearson Hammond, pleaded not guilty, reserved his defence and was committed to the Supreme Court for trial on a charge of unlawful carnal knowledge of a "irl 15 years and 11 months. The girl concerned stated in her evidence that she met accused at a dance and went out with him several times. She described what took place. When she discovered that she was in a certain condition she told accused, who suggested that she should go to a certain woman. Witness and accused both went to the woman's house together, accused requesting the woman to ''fix her up." The woman made no reply. An arrangement was made and as a result witness went to the woman's house on Saturday, October 10, by herself. An operation was performed and witness remained there until the following Tuesday. Accused came to visit witness and on one occasion he gave the woman £5 ' Witness was told by accused that he was only in. She did not know his age hut she was now aware that he was" a married man with two children j ■_*_ w . |ss_?_-_rj__r_-a»- -H