CHRISTCHURCH.

Press, Volume XXX, Issue 4077, 21 August 1878, Page 5 (Supplement)

CHRISTCHURCH.

Monday, At/gust 19. [Before G. L. Mellish, E«q. 8.M.,1 Dbun-BSKHSB. — Henry Pascoe, against whom a previous conviction had been recorded, was fined 203, and ordered to pay Li6i cab hire. NsGiECTixfl- TO Suppobt.—Henry O'Neil was informed against tor neglecting to contribute to support of his children in the Industrial BchooL He did not appear, and a warrant was issued for his arrest. Wahds_is G Hobsb.—S. Brooker was fined 6s for having a horse at large in Colombo street. DkivUfG bound Cobnbbs. — A charge against Alfred Brown was, at the request of the Mayor, withdrawn by the Inspector of Police. No Light oy Hoarding. — J«me» Gobs wss fined 10s for this offence, which he admitted. CAuenrs Obstruction. — George Trask was charged by he railway polite, under tl c . Hscinev Cub By-law, withcausnigHnols'ruc«on on "the South Town Bet by drawing a —andsome cab across the street opposite the Wtilway station. William Alfred Nick, * bartitter from England, here informed the Bench that he had been instructed to apgear for defendant. He produced his Eugiish crrdenUsls, but informed the Berch that he had . only lately arrived in Christch—rob, a*>d had cot had time to go through the necessary for*—a3itie«~ for admission to the Ne* Zealand S*r. His Worship could not see his way to —.low Mr Kick to appear. The cot——vble Rationed at I he rail-ay had laid the informs, tioc, and was croes-r——nired by defendant to •bowthsA tbe obetir»d-on waa of » very trill : lag character, and was simply for the purpose _»I__bb _ ■—*-*- X_t Bean, thotutht the

charge under the circumstances ridiculous, and ! dismissed the case. Wandbbing Cattle.—X. C. M. Lewin and Charles Turner were each fined ss. 111. tbbating A Hobsb.—Frederick Peiper wa« charged with ill-using hie horse. Alfred \Vihf>n tfepoced to the ill-treatment, which confuted of dragging the animil by a rope nttnehed to anothe* horse. The rope wae fastened by a slip knot roui.d the animal's neck, choking the brute, and, to the best of witness's belief, bursting a blood vessel. Defendant also struck the horse's head. William Payne corroborated the previous witness. The animal was jibbing and fell down, and this bad caused the tightening of the slip knot. Another witness gave similar evidence. For the defence, Thomas Cross deposed that the animal was high spirited, and could not be got to start. After trying many other plane, that of atteching a rope was tried. There was a knot in the rope to prevent the mare being choked. He had seen the plan tried with euceessfa hundred times in Dunedin. James Brown also gave evidence for the defence. The mare was hanging back on the rop?. Defendant was fined 40s, and ordered to pay 15s witness's expenses. Neglecting to Sfpfobt—William Chapman was charged with not supporting his wife and two children. Hie wife proved the charge, which he did not deny. The Bench informed him that he was liable to six months hard labor. Inspector Hickson suggested that he might turn over a new leaf if afforded another chance. The Bench consented to adjourn the case for a fortnight. Registration Act. Francis James Smith was fined 20s for neglecting to register the birth of his child. Assault. —John Murphy was charged with violently assaulting Maurice Murphy. The parties are not rtlatives. Complainant, a lad, admitted having thrown stones at some birds in defendant's paddock. Defendant was under the impression that complainant had thrown stones at his horeee, and he had assaulted the lad. The defendant was ordered to pay the costs, but, as the aesmlt had been of a trifling character, was not fined.

Abitsive Languagb.—William Smith was charged with u*ing abusive and insulting language to Henry William Atkins. Mr Thomas appeared for complainant, who detailed the particulars, which disclosed a very ursatiefactory state of things to have existed between the parties for two years, owi::g to the quarrelsomeness of defendant, Mr Iz*rd appeared for the defendant. Several witnesses were examined for tha complainant, ar.d for the defendant, his wife. The case occupied a considerable time. Mr Thomae asked that defendant should, instead of being fined, be bound over to keep the peace. Tne Bench ordered defendant to enter into hie own recognisance for £'20 to keep the peace for six months, and to pay costs, 2S* 61.

Assault —James Sherriff and Jacob Roger* were charge! with assaulting Andrew Smith \lr Izard arpenred for defendant, a tenant of defendant's qu.-irry at Lmedown. Mr Harp r upp-nred for defendants. Complainant de posed that he had taken the quarry for a twelvemonth from last March. He had paid the rent each month. There was a written agreement, but it was not eigned. The rerit was to be £36 per annum. Defendant had put him off the premises. This was Ihe assault. Aβ the matter appeared to reeolre itself into a question of title, the Bench held that it was not within hie jurisdiction. Thomas Hwlam wee charged with assaulting Ann Debeer. Mr Iz yd appeared for the complainant, and Mr O'Neill for the defendant. The defendant had come to complainant* house and wished to see her servant, with whom defendant had at one time been living. While complainant was endeavoring to prevent him from entering her house, defendant struck her. Antonio Magaldo was called for the complainant, but deposed that he had eeen no assault. He had seen Mrs Debeer faint. Mrs Magnldo deposed to seeing the assault. The defendant was examined on otth, and denied on oath having committed an assault. A good deal of irrelevant evidence was given. The assault appeared to have been a trifling one. Defendant was fined 5s and costs 10s.

Laeobkt. —George "Williams wae charged with stealing a coat, valued at £2, the property of Strange and Fountain. Joseph Strange, of the firm of Strange and Fountain, identified the coat produced as exactly similar to one which he had missed from the shop door about half-psst thrpe on Saturday afternoon. He had la»t seen it about ten o'clock in the morning. It had not been sold. "Witness siw prisoner on Saturday at Mr Stewart , ? pawnshop, where he was offering to pledge the coat. Prisoner s«d at firefc that the coat was his own, but afterwards that it had been given to him to pledge. Samuel Stewart, pawnbroker, deposed to prisoner having brought the coat to him, wanting 10s on it. Witness kept him waiting till a constable came. Constable Sutherland had arrested prisoner, who said the coat hnd been given to him to pledge by George William Harri?. Prisoner wanted witness to go up the right-of-way near the White Hart, but witness would not go. [The Bench here reprimanded witness for not hnving given the prisoner an opportunity to clear himself from the charge] Detective Benjamin dep >sed that prisoner had told him that the coat had been given to him (prisoner) by a mun whese name he did not know, but who, he believed, hftd worked at one time at Hakaia. S?rgeant Wilson deposed that prisoner had the ah<>x of William Harris. Prisoner here denied having ever had an alias. He had to witnesses to call for the defence. He was sentencod to a month's imprisonment with hard labor. William Cody was charged with stealing from a dwelling a mattrass and two blankets. value £3, the property of John Bligh. He' ry Smith, hborer, residing with Mr Bligh, deposed that he occupied a room in a c >tt»ige behind Mr Bligh's. His room was upstairs. On Sunday afternoon, he went to it, and the bottom of the stairs found prisoner in the act of tying up a bundle in a. blue blunker, produced. On going into hie room witness missed the blankets from a second bed in his room, and at once gave information of the theft. Prisoner had then gone away and left the bundle, in which was a mattrass tied up at the foot of the staircase. A broken comb and a hair brush were also missing. Susannah, wife of John Bligh, corroborated the evidence I of the last witness, and identified the property produced a* her husband's. Detective Benjamin deposed to arresting prisoner, who, when charged, said two or three times, j " What, I eteal a bed!" and afterwards re- j marked to the landlord of the London Chop House, " I suppose I shall be in gaol a dey or two for this." A long list of previous conviction*, two of which were f >r larceny, was j handed to the Bench by Inspector Hiekson. Prisoner wee sentenced to six months' imprisonment with hard labor. IscEKDiAßissr —John Remolds on remand was charged with malioiously selling fire to certain matter against a dwelling houee, the j property of Mary Ann White. Mary Ann White, boarding housekeeper at Courtenay, deposed—Prisoner came to uiy heu'e on the 6th August, and asked for accommodation. He it«pp?d there that night, and had bre«kfa?t next morning. On the Wednesday evening t told him he had better slerp in tne loose box, ac I liked to keep my beds clean. The loose box adjoins the stable, and had plenty c£ Straw. Prisoner said " All right," and took his «WBg out. Next day prisoner had his breakfast, dinner and tea. On Thursday he told mc that he was going to work tor Mr Anson on the recreation ground. I next saw him at tea in the evening. He said nothing about leaTinsr 1 next s»w him after he had been arrested, on the i-ight of the 9th about the middle.of the night. He owed mc 6s and pft roe tb*t (trouct tto. Oα tbe wgot

f the Bth. in3tant I went to bed about ten o'clock. All in the house retired about the same time. There were no strangere in the house but my son and hie partner, Mr Fulston, Henry Tates, my two daughters, and myself. About one o'clock next morning I was roused by the noise of someone running down stairs, making a great noise. I called out, " What'e the matter?" a'td heard Fulston say, " Harry, turn the tap." I and my daughters got up and went outeide. I could see no light, f came in at the front door, and through the passage, and saw the groom, who said, "It is all right; it is all out." Shortly afterwards I went out again and saw where a fire had been. A stack of of brushwood, whi.:h had recently been put against the house. It must have been put | there since the previous day. The house is my property, and is not insured. Henry Yatee, groom in the employ of Messrs White and Fulston, and residing in last witness's house, deposed—l first saw the prisoner fitfour o'clock lust Tuesday, the 6th met. Hi" slept that night- in s the next room to mc. Next night he slept in the loose box. I paw him at half-past eight o'clock on Wednesday evening, asleep in the loose box. I cleared out the box next day, and when doing so sawprisoner tie up his ewag. [The prisoner here said, "It is quite true what they say."J There was nothing in the loose box but the prisoner's swag. I went to bed about ten o'clock on Thursday, the Bth init. My bedroom was Nα. 3, the window of which overlooks the garden. The window had no blind. In the course of the night a crackling noise, either of striking matches or breaking sticks, attracted my notice. I listened and got up. I saw smoke, and tried to open the window, but could not. T <a» a blaze coming frem the outside of the N.W. side of tho hous», nearly uuder my door. The fire nearly touched the house. I gave the alarm, went down stair*, and got ioine water from the tap. I took it to George White, who s iid the fire was out. He had been out before mc. I went outside and saw some brushwood in v box —an empty case—close to the house, but not touching it. There were marks of fire on the brushwood, but on the wall of the house. That evening I had been in the garden. Neither brushwood nor box was there then. The box was lying near the kitchen, and some brushwood wan about six yards from tho house, against the garden fence. The brushwood was similar to that produced. When I went to extinguish the fir; I woe wearing nailed boots. My attention was called to footprints. Bnards were placed over them to prevent their being washed away by the rain. The foot murks corresponded with the boots Detective Benjamin brought with him. The footmarks were in the garden and led from about six yard* from the fire. I did not notice in what direction they pointed. Detective Benjamin had boots with him and placed them on somo of the marks and alongside of others. The marks of the nails corresponded in all. Th-. re were similar marks outside the garden in ploughed ground. They appoered to ba fresh. The marks were not in the garden on the Wednesday. They were on recently dug ground. On the morning of the fire 1 wear, into the loose box, about 8 o'cL-ck. A handkerchief and a strap were in the straw. I had seen similar articles in the possession of prisoner. The straw looked as it* some ono had been lying upon it. G?org Fulston, pertner of George White, gave corroborative evidence. He had traced thrre tracks of bootmarks through three paddocks. Two trsoka led from and one track to the garden. There was grass within five or six yards of where the fire was. The tracks were further traced when Deteotive B.ujimin came, and were found to lead on to the Homebush roed. [Prisoner said he had been in the garden planting trees.] G-eorge Frederick White gave similar evidence. Detective Benjamin proved the arrest of the prisoner, whose boots were found to correspond with the impresI eion found in the garden, &o. The tracks led ! from the house in the direction of the plica wt ere prisoner was arrested. When arrested prisoner said, " I set fire to a house ? Can anyone swear to it?" Subsequently he said I that he had left White's house about 7 o'clock on the previ •Uβ evening, and had not heen there since. A caudle end was found in prisoner's eweg nnd . a box of matches in his pocket. Charlee C irt er, labourer, depos -d that on Friday, the 9iih inst., about t*o o'clock he had Been a man with a swag in the corner of a paddock, near the junction of Barr's road and the Homebusti road. The man got over the fence, and went along Barr'e road to Lilly's. The swag looked lik« white canvass. Witness pointed out Detective Benjamin the epob where lie had seen the man. Thomas Lilly deposed that on the 9th met. prisoner came to him about two o'clock. He came from the direction of Beattie's corner—the junction of the roads mentioned by the previous witness. Martha Shipley, wife of Burton Shipley, farmer, residing at Oourtenay, deposed to prisoner having been working on the recreation ground on Thursday, the Bth. He knocked off about five o'clock. Witness did not see him again till about three o'clock the next, day, when he was working on the same ground. Witness did not think prisoner could have been there without her seeing him. fPrisoner: " I was digging there the whole of the morning."] At this stage Inspector Hickson obtained an adjournment for a week. Prisoner wag remanded till the next day, as another charge was pending against him.

Tuesday, August 20. [Before G. L MellNh, Eeq . R.M.] Labckny.—Arthur Gerald Manning, on remand, charged wttti £100, the property of the Bink of New Zealand. George Foreman, constable at Auckland, deposed that he was present at Auckland on the 12lh inst., when prisjiier .was arrested on the warrant produced. The warrant wms read to the prisoner, who said " I took £100 all in one day, and I afterwards told Mr Coster, the manager, co." Prisoner said Mr Coeter had sent hiiH up to try and arra- ge the matter. Mr Garriik, who a[.'peired for the Bank, here applied for a remasrt till Thursday. Prisoner was remanded accordingly. Dbunxrnness. —A first offender was fined ss, and ordereJ to pay Is cab hire. Assault. —Kobert Roberts was charged with an assault. Martin Simonsen, ma- ager of the Cheevers and Kennedy troupe, depo ed that at the close of the performance at the Theatre Eoyal on Monday night Mrs Cheevers asked him to come out, as there was a man in»ul*ing her. Witness went out and found prisoner in the act of striking Mrs Cheevers. Witness endeavoured to expel prisoner, who struck at him two or three times. George Lingard gave corrobrira , ive evidence us to the violent conduct ef prisoner. John Grctnerson, cabman, gave similar evideuce. Dctfctive Walker deposed to Mre Cheevers complaining to him. Witness went after prisoner, and arrested him in a bedroom in Worcester strett, Mrs Oheevers deposed that prisoner st abou* twenty minutes to ten came to the tickt-r office, put his arm round her neck, and, whe-< she repulsed him, attempted to strike her. Prisoner said the whol* opcurr<*T» w»s like a dream : he was the worse for liqu >r. His Worship remarked that that sort, of dmm sometimes we« followed by an unple.vsant waking, and flued prisoner 80s. IXCENDIABISM. —John Reynolds was charged on remand with niltully setting fire to a cerframe building, the property of Matthew Grey. Thomas Grey, sou of Matthpw Urey, farmer, at Templ«?on, deposed—My father owns a farm at Y«Hhur«»t. No one resides there. I vi*it it about onoe a week. The l»st time, about a week before the fire—which I believe'occurred on the 26th ult—l visited it on the 27 ult. There is a farm house on the farm, al*o etable wd bam, T*«e vera

about. 1300 bushels of wheat in the barn. I found damage bad been done to the shed to the extent of about £10, and 360 or 400 bushels of wheat had been destroyed. The flooring had been burnt, and a little of the front wall. The barn door was locked when last I saw it. The stable was opi>n. Nothing wan kept in the stable. The building was, I believe, insured, but I am not sure. The wheat was insured. I never saw prisoner in my life. He has had no authority to occupy any part of the building. My father is at present confined to his bed. James Holmes, farmer, at Taldhurst, deposed —I was out on my farm on Friday, the 261h July, betweer eight and nine o'clock in the morniDg, when 1 Biw smnke coming from Mr Grey's farm. I J went there and found the floor of the barn all on fire, and the wheat coming out of the side of the barn where the bottom sacks had been burnt. I got assistance from the neighborhood. Seven of us saved all we could. I should think we saved about 5)00 bushels. About 400 bushels were rendered unfit for anything but fowls or pigs, being partially burned. I saw no stranger there. The plan produced is.a correct plan of the building. The flooring boards and part of the wallboards on one side were destroyed. The barn is about eight or ten inches from the ground, upon piles. I told Mr Grey'e eons of the fire. Mrs Acqua, reeiding near Mr Grey's furm, deposed—l know prisoner, who c .mc to my house on the sth August, I think. It was four weeks last Thursday—July 25th. He came to mc and wanted mc to sell him a loaf. That, was the day before the fire. I had not a loaf, but give him a dinner, for which he paid mc a shilling. He asked for a box of matches, but I had none. He asked mc if I had heard about eight or ten men being killed in Chrif.tchurch eight or ten months ago, in the war. He came to mc about half-past eleven, and went away about a quarter-past twelve. 1 watched him out of the gate, and saw him go up to Mr Grey'e place—up to the stable where I used to live some years ago. He entered the gate of the paddock in which the stable stands. I could not see him go any further. Hβ bad no swag. I have not eeen him since till I saw him here yesterday. John Ryan, farmer, of Yaldhurst, deposed, th«t n ivan had come to his yard looking for a job one night. Could not say that prisoner was the man. George Acqua, labourer, identified prisoner as'having been in MrGr ye stable on Sunday evening before the firo, also on Tues day before the fire. Prisoner had naked witnees for tobacco and matches, but witness could give him none. Prisoner also asked whose farm it was and witnese told him. [Prisoner here said " I have never seen the old nigger till I saw him in the yard." The witness is a coloured man.] William McDaviW, labourer at Upper Riccarton, dep"sed that he had identified prisoner, at the police station, as the man who was with him ii Mr Ryan's paddock one evening, tho 24'h July. Prisoner was looking for a job, and hud no swa-j. When he left he went in tho direction of Mr Grey'a. Witness had assisted in putting ou* the fir?. Edward Lewie, labourer, deposed—Prisoner name to my house on Sunday before the fire, and, after haviiig meat and tea, wanted matches. I told him to be off. and he went into Mr Ryan's paddock. I followed him and told him there wae no road there. He said "I am going to yondpr barn" (Mr Grey'e). Witness was on-? w'no ht-lprd to put out the fire. The fire could not "have easily been ignited. It had beeri started from the outside 1 he bam had to be broken open by those who extiTi'u ; «hed the fire. James Holmes, reCi ed, deposed that in hie opinion the fire had originated from outside the building, in the north-went corner, near the open stable D ter.tive Benj mm deposed: I visited Grey'e farm on the 31st ulf. At one plhcp, where the wall' are burnt away, as shown on the plfin produced, the fira had evidently come from the inside. I received a description of a man who had been eeen about, them a day or two before the fire. When I arrested • >-i*onflr I charged him with setting fire to Matfc<»w Grey's barn at Yaldhurst. Hedid not seem to know the name Yaldhurst, aTd faid " What barn ?" I told him the barn he was sleeping in about a fortnight ago. He kept spying " What barn ?" as if he could remember not hi- g about it. I charged him with the offence because he answered the description given mc of the man who had been about the place. Inspector Hickson here obtained a remand till Monday next.