LYTTELTON.

Press, Volume XLV, Issue 7214, 27 November 1888, Page 6

LYTTELTON.

Monday, November 26. [Before J. G. Fyfe, and T. McClatchie, Esqs., J.P.'s.] Drunkenness.—Two first offenders were fined 5s or in default twenty-four hours imprisonment. ROBBEKT FROM THE PERSON.—Albert Ansley, brought up on remand from last Friday, was charged with stealing £2o from John William Phillips. Prisoner was undefended. SergeantOMalleyconducted the prosecution. J. W. Phillips, station hand on the Clarence run, Marlborough, stated that he left the run on the loth hist, and received from the manager two cheques, one for £12 and one for £7 3s 6d, both on the Bank of Xew Zealand, Kaikoura. He cashed the cheque for £7 3s 6d on the way to Christchurch and brought the one for £12 to Christchurch. Arrived in Christchurch on the night of the 19th inst. and put up at the Market Hotel and had several drinks there. On the 20th, between 6 and7a.m., saw prisoner on the cab stand at Cathedral square, and engaged him to drive him about somewhere. Witness was not very sober. Went to the Bank of New Zealand, prisoner being with him, and cashed the £12 cheque, in two £5 notes and two £1 notes, \fter leaving the Bank, he went to the Railway station, and believed prisoner was with him. When he received the money at the Bank, he put the two £5 notes in his waistcoat pocket, and the £1 notes in his trousers' pockets, where there was also some change. Told the prisoner he wanted to go to JLy ttelton to see some one on the Aorangi. The prisoner accompanied him. Witness did not know whether he volunteered to go with him, or whether he asked him to. Gave prisoner 4s for driving him about that morning. After arriving in Lyttelton the prisoner and he went down on board the Aorangi, where they remained for half an hour, and then they went to the Canterbury Hotel, where they had some drinks, and he paid for drinks for the prisoner and some 17 or 18 firemen, and changed a £3 note ; recollected nothing after that until spoken to by the constable in the lock-up. At the Canterbury Hotel prisoner had a row with one of the firemen; did not remember what it was about. Besides the money changed in Christchurch, had two Bank of England £10 notes and two English postal notes. The £10 notes were in the watch pocket, and the two postal notes were always kept in the pocket-book; they were payable at Wellington. The pocket-book, a sleeve link, hair chain, and stud, which were found on the prisoner when arrestsd (produced) were witness's. Did not recollect giving the articles produced to prisoner. Was drunk all that morning. To the Prisoner—Do not recollect sayiug that I had lost a sum of money over night. Was not at Warner's on Tuesday. Know the nieht porter at Warner's. Went to several hotels to get the cheque cashed. Did not promise you 30s for the day for looking after mc. The Bench—Have lost £26 allowing foi the money spent. A. W. Lane, son of the landlord of the Canterbury—Remembered Tuesday, ■• the 20th instant. Saw the prisoner and Phillips in the hotel that day. They came about 11.30 a.m., with three firemen from the Aorangi. They had several drinks. Did not notice them leave. They appeared as mates "Stephen Treveniuck, a shunter on the railway, stated that on the 20th, in the afternoon, he saw Phillips and prisoner struggling. Prisouer appeared to be trying to get Phillips* hands out of his pockets. Phillips was lyimr on the grass, and prisoner was in a sitting posture. Phillips was speechlessly drunk. William Owen corroborated the former witness' statement. Eli Wilson, a railway porter, stated that the prisoner and Phillips came to the station at 12.40 p.m. on Tuesday, 20th, and Mr Scott, the head porter, stopped them. They were both drunk, Philfips being the worst of the two. At 1 p.m. they were lying at the back of the station. The prisoner said, "Look here, porter, I have been looking after this man about five hours, and all I asked him is a pound. Don't you think that a fair thing." Witness replied, " That is a matter of business between yourselves." Afterwards heard prisoner ask Phillips if he would give him 53. Phillips shook his head. Then prisoner said to Phillips, "Will you pay for your ticket?" and Phillips nodded his head. They were lying on the grass at this time. Saw Phillips try to get up. and heard the prisoner tell him he had better lie there and get a sleep. If he left there he would be run in. A quarter of an hour after saw them both still lying there. At 2.30 p.m. witness missed them and went over where they were lying and found the pocketbook (produced). There was nothing in it except a penny stamp and a paper cutting. It was handed over to Constable Drake. Constable Drake, who was on duty at 2 p.m., on the 20th inst., watched prisoner and Phillips at the back ot the railway station. Saw the prisoner put his richt hand in Phillips' trousers pocket and remove his hand, putting it into his own right hand pocket. He then repeated the process. Did not see anything in his hand either time. With the assistance of Constable McGill the two were arrested. Phillips was very drunk. Prisoner was under the influence of drink but quite able to take care of himself. Phillips was searched at the lockup. He had £3 7s on him. Prisoner, on being searched, had a £1 note and £1 14s 9d in silver and copper, a silver "link, steel bar of a watch chain, and shirt stud (produced) in his right hand trousers pocket amongst the silver. Afterwards he charged prisoner with robbing Phillips, which he denied. The prisoner was cautioned in the usual manner, and made the following statement:—"lf I have anyone that would befriend mc by taking those three articles, the sleeve-link, collar-stud and bar, and just presenting them at the Normal School, there is a little boy, my stepson, between ten and eleven years old, who would claim the lot." The accused was committed for trial at the next sittings of the Supreme Court, bail being allowed, himself in £50 and two others of £25 each.