RESIDENT MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

Press, Volume XIV, Issue 1864, 6 April 1869, Page 2

RESIDENT MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

Chbistchtjboh—April 5.

[Before C. C. Bowen, Esq., R.M., and His Honor W. Rolleston, Esq., J.P.] DBUNK AND DISOBDEBLY. Richard Griffin was brought up charged with the above offence and fined ss. POST-OPEICB BOBBEBY. Thomas Smith, a young lad about thirteen years of age, was brought up on remand, charged with the above offence. Mr Wynn Williams appeared for the defence. The first witness called was Constable William Hallaran, who deposed as follows :— At twenty minutes past eight o'clock on Wednesday evening last I was on duty in Colombo street, opposite the post-office. I saw the prisoner open one. of the private boxes in the post-office window and take some letters and newspapers out, which he put in his coat pocket. He applied a key to two or three other boxes in the same window, but did not succeed in opening them. He went to the centre window and tried several boxes, some of which he succeeded in opening/ then went to the third window and tried a number of boxes there. I cannot say what, he took out of them or the number he succeeded in opening. He must have opened about twenty. I changed my position and prisoner was in the act of walking away. I went up to him and asked what he was doing there all that time, and he said he was waiting the arrival of the mail from the South. I asked j him about the keys he had been applying to I the boxes, and he said he had none with the exception of one belonging to the " Press" office box. I asked him to let mc see it, and I found it opened several of the windows. I took prisoner round to the back of the postoffice and enquired from the clerks what time the mail from the south would be delivered. One of the clerks told mc that the letters and papers had arrived, and were placed in the boxes about fifteen minutes past eight. I told the prisoner to produce all the letters and papers he had taken from the boxes, and he produced five letters and two newspapers; they were addressed to the Editor of the "Press." I was informed these papers had arrived by the mail that night. Prisoner had a pipe and tobacco pouch on him* and he said that was all he had. I searched him and . .found in the, pocket of his coat some goods, but nothing connected with this case. The key of the box the hoy had„ I had, taken possession of before prisoner entered the office. The key was in his hand, which was in his pocket. I arrested prisoner and cautioned him, outside the post-office. The key produced is the one I found on the prisoner. It opened box No 15, "Press" . o%e box,. No 57, No 112, and two other boxes.

John Lewis deposed—l have a box at the post-office, No 76. I keep one of the keys of the box and my chief clerk (Mr Herdson) keeps the other. On Saturday, the 27th instant, I had my own key. I went to the box that day about seven o'clock p.m. There were a few English letters in it, as far as I can recollect, there were two or three letters; addressed to a young man named Blundell at'

the office. There wore two dressed to the care of Mr John were addressed to a person named There were other letters addressed ♦« ero °- and I took them all away except on? Tf! it because it was from tho Insurance Oonm, It was an official lei tor and I leftiY ? pa ? T ' Herdson to take. I next went to tho hi Mt Sunday morning, on my way to chuwb\f letters were thero just as I left thorn on" W 5 day night. On Monday I looked.. ■ think in the afternoon/the fi2 gone. I ahould have no doubt V U the envelope produced ia that of the 1 v addressed to Cameron, care of Mr John o ? ron. The signature on tho chequ, *™s*\ is that of Archdeacon Harper TeC? 1 that amount comes regularly monthlyaS should haro reached mo on Thursday used to receive the cheques through the %J The cheque is dated on tho 25th March the day tho money is due at my offico ' m John Cameron clerk to Mr LewiMaid.. My letters are placed m hia box I W key of the box in nay possession. on day, the 27th March. Tho key was riven l with others in the office by Mr Blundoll • the presence of Mr Lewis, on SaturdavSfi 27th March, between ono and two o'clock T kept the key till the following Tuesday raara iing. On Tuesday morning I mistook Z number of Mr Lewis's box. I thoushi J was No 67. I triod to open tho box but could not. I removed no lottora from Mr Lewis* private box. 1 did not receive J,J letters from tho time I received Elm key on Saturday till I gave it 2 on Tuesday. Tho envelope produced is al dressed to Donald Cameron, to my cars it covered a letter I received in tho offico frci a clerk in the Post-office, and a person named Dalwood. The letter appeared to mc to ha?a been torn open and put together agaia. 1 think I received the letter on Friday af& i? . noon, the 2nd April. The date of the Qhrfat. church postmark is the 27th March, 1869. J R the ordinary course of business I should Lata received the letter on Tuesday morning &j} e ? the holiday. Christopher Dalwood, mail carrier, depots On Thursday morning, tho Ist April, fms $ the post-offioe at half-past six o'clock. While shaking the door near the weighbridge I ijw a letter near the door. I picked it up, and observed to the clerk that it appeared to'have been opened and glued together again. Tho envelope produced is the one I found. ; George Bull, a clerk in the poat-ofSce, aid the envelope produced was "on .a letter received on the 27th March, and would in the ordinary course of business have been put into a box the same night. Detective Feast said the cheque product was given to him with some postage stampi ia an envelope by prisoner's father. He : went to prisoner's father because the prisoner told him he picked up a cheque and stamps it Hobbs* corner on Good Friday, or the evening before. There is also in the envelope m advertisement out of the " Press " newepspw, dated March 27. : Cross-examined by Mr Williams—At the time I went to the boy's father I had not &m the advertisement. This was all the evidence for the prosecution in this oase, and another charge was thea |-ro* ceeded with. ■ ,

The following is the evidence adduced ;— ' Constable Halloran gave evidencs eiaik fe that "given by him in the previous case. • Mary Ann Cass, sworn—On Monday MI sent the ball ticket produced to Mrs Cmruthers. I enclosed it in an envelops, im& gave it to Mr Blakiston. I addrewifta envelope to Mrs Carruthers, Avonside. A. F. N. Blakiston, Assistant Pro?insirf Seoretary, said that on Monday, the 29?k March, he received from Mrs Cass lotted to riost containing invitations to a<; t ball, §11 <?I , which he posted between twelve end 029 o'clock the same day. William Douglas Carruthers, manages of the Trust and Loan Company, said thai on Tuesday, the 30th of Maroh, he mild letters from his clerk whioh appeared to -km been opened and gummed down again* Cross-examined by Mr Wynn WiMiaaM—l. • missed other letters , during .the montli of March.. : David Murray, clerk to Mr Carrathew, a> posed that on the 30th March he.get to # four letters from the post-office addwssec't to Mr Carruthers, which had apparently, two opened and up again., On,tfee Wed-, nesday following he reoeived an env4*net«a* taining two photographs, which was o|ie9« The envelope produced w»3 stuck together again with a piece of blue paper. John Grubb, chief clerk in the post-cite, deposed to examining Mr Carmthem'hm } m finding several letters which appeared to i»W been opened, and also the original, of « advertisement from the Railway Rowing Ctab addressedto the "Times "office. ; Willoughby Ollivier deposed that M im the manuscript copies of an advWlto«a«ft» the "Press" office on behalf of bfcbrotbw, and'asked Mr Guthrie to forwar-.oiie copy » the ''Times" - ~ *■■:' Alfred Clark, a boy employed hi to " Press " office, deposed that Mr outhne gsw him the copy of the advertisement, and tola him to see that it went down to the' •»««* office. When prisoner came in at five o docs witness gave the advertisement to mm ana he put it in' his coat pocket. , Cross-examined by Mr Willianifl-I W»»; been sent back with other people's letters xm did not belong to the office on ester* <«®* sions before this affair. w ~t William Hackett, employed at *»■ W. office, deposed that about eight otmafloffh either on Tuesday or Wednesday asked prisoner whether he had : «*»w advertisement ab6ut the Railway Bowing un» to the " Times." Prisoner replied that« lost it and went up stairs to get snotiw copy. 7 i thn William Taylor, night printer aM» "Times" office, said that about n*«*S on Tuesday night last the prisoner teoflgj an advertisement about the Club to thepffic* The les i L was never brought to the office. m * i Detective Feast stated.-I have been pr*jjjlon several occasions when 'taken place between prisoner and Jus J» On the same night as he ™/™^ io « I taken to his father's house, and .«n« n, *£i 8a I question put him by his father **•*£! advertisemeat about the f! Mr Club, left at the "Press" Ollivier, prisoner said he had WJ« B on the road to or from the %"*££*£ f» came back and got a copy, which he wo* the °Times" office. .. • m,. .Jvi# Prisoner reserved "_»K* *» of Mr WilUem*. and he *« *Krf«»' trial on both charges at the next session ot Supreme Court. His Worship take bail, the boy's father for £280*** surety of $$fa>