KAIAPOI.

Press, Volume XIX, Issue 2807, 1 May 1872, Page 3

KAIAPOI.

Tuesday, April 30. [Before G. L. Mellish, Esq., K.M., and C. Dudley, Esq., J.P-] Bjeach of Bokough Bye-Laws.— J. W. Ellea, cliarged on two informations vrith alloying a cow to go at large, was fined 5s and costs in one case, and ordered tp pay the costi in the other. Charier Smith, for alloying a 0 o xo wander" at large, was fiaei is and costs. labcexy.—Frank Lawton, brought np in custody on remand, was charged with having in the month of February last stolen a watch and chain, from the Day Dawn, being the property of Thomas Jones. Sergeant Pratt said he arrested accused on Saturday last He told liim the charge, andT cautioned l» m - Accused said he knew nothing whatever about the watch and chain. Sergeant-Major Barsham, of Lyttelton, stated that on the 25th ult., be received a "criminal offence," signed by Sergeant Pratt, reporting the larceny of a watch from the Day Dawn. He made enquiries from one Cathro, a bootruaker in Lyttelton, relative t?. Van watch, and described, it U biml He' said he purchased a vsatch from a man named Louter or Louder, whom he knew very well, and said he came from Kaiapoi. Witness asked him what he had done with the watch ; Caihro replied he bad sold it; he did not know to whom, or where the person had gone to, bat

he thought he would know him if he saw him. He first said he thought the peTson was halfway to Englaiv'. and pfi.rv.urds that it might be a man fYo :i snjn.: (i the bays. truth of his statement witness made further enquiries, and found the watch had been sold to a man named Gray. Witness went to Gray, who is nitister of the Randolph, and asked him if he had a silver watch. He said " yes," and allowed witness to examine it. It was opened in his presence, and the number corresponded with that of the watch reported to be missing. lie said he had bought it from Cathro for £3 10s. The watch was taken to Cathro, and witness asked him if it wits the one he had bought from the person he referred to, and he said "yes, he could swear to it." Witness had subsequently ascertained that a chain had been bought with the watch, and he had got it from a watchmaker with whom it was left to repair. Cathro told him afterwards that he had purchased the chain, and "identified it as the one ho had bought with the watch. He said he purchased the watch and chain for £2, that he sold the chain to a person named Buckley, for 7s 6d; the watch had been cleaned and* a new glass put in. The watch and chain are now produced. Thomas Jones, master of the schooner Day Dawn, said he knew the prisoner, who was employed as a seaman with him to the sth February last. They slept in the same cabin. Witness had a silver faced lever watch, with a bull's-eye glass and a silver guard attached. Witness described the articles and identified those produced as his property; the watch had been cleaned since he saw it last, and the glass changed. They hung on a nail in the cabin. The vessel arrived in Kaiapoi on the 2nd or 3rd of February, and accused was paid off on the sth. The vessel remained in the river about a fortnight. After accused was discharged, witness saw him about several times. The vessel was lying at Birch's wharf, and at times was left with no one aboard. On the passage to Wellington, witness missed the watch and chain, and, on the return from a second trip to Wellington, he reported the matter to the police. He gave £3 10s for the watch, and los for the chain. It was valued at £8. Did not want to sell the watch, or had any conversation with accused about it. Had the watch cleaned in Nelson and telegraphed there for the number; the telegram produced is the reply received. By accused— I never locked up part of the vessel when I was ashore. There was a gold piece to the chain when I lost the watch. Thomas Cathro, bootmaker, Lyttelton, stated—He knew the accused, who came to his shop, and he purchased a watch from him for £2 and promised to take 10s off a pair of boots. Accused offered the watch for sale. No questions were asked as to where accused had got the watch. The watch produced is the one. Witness had also a new glass put in it. He also identified the chain. His son, and a person named Joseph were in the shop at the time. No receipt was given for the money. By Police—When you came to mc I told you I had sold it to a man from the bays. I sold it for £3 10s. One of the warders at the gaol carried it for a week ;he was a neighbor of mine. Joseph Needham informed mc after his return from from Kaiapoi, he thought the watch was stolen. This was after I sold it. I was not aware of this when the police came, nor have I bad any conversation with accused since. George Gray, master of the Randolph, etated he bought the watch in question on the first week in March. He gave Cathro £3 10s for it. Accused on being asked if he had anything to say, made a lengthy statement to the effect that he had some words with the captain of the Day Dawn, and acted so that they would be compelled to discharge him, and on his discharge on going to Christchurch by the coach he fell in with a man who was a stranger who said he was hard up and he bought his watch for 25s to enable him to pay his coach fare. They had drinks in Christchurch, and this man gave him the chain. After detailing several journeyings he went on to say he proposed to Needham to buy the watch from him, and he said he had better go to Cathro's. They went there, and he bought it for £3. He then got employment on the railway, and later still at Burnip's Hotel. Needham one day in the bar was refused drink, and swore he would have revenge. The Bench said they would deal with the case summarily, and sentenced accused to three months' imprisonment with hard labor. Civil Cases—W. Pengelly and Co. v. J. Barclay ; claim £4 7s sd, set-off £7 12s 10d; referred to the Leithfield Court. Several cases were settled out of Court.