MAGISTERIAL.

Press, Volume LV, Issue 10215, 10 December 1898, Page 10

MAGISTERIAL.

- m CHRISTCHURCH. Friday, December 9. (Before E. Curry, Jas. Gapes and W. DougV lass, Esqrs., J.P.'s.) Drunkenness.— For being found drunk, and committing an act of indecency, Edwin T Coyno was sentenced to one week's imprisonment, with 'hard labour. A man, riot before convicted, was fined ss, or in default twenty-four hours' imprisonment. AxiiKOED Theft ok Post , Letters.— John Arthur Chapman, a post letter carrier, was charged with fcteniing. between June Ist and December 3rd, of the present year, 723 letters. Mr Flesher appeared for him. G. Miller, chief clerk, stated that the accused had been regularly appointed end his round was Addington. On the 2nd instant, there were five complaints made of non-delivery of letters. When spoken to about it on the 3rd, the accused said he -had not seen any letters addressed to the persons complaining., Witness, not being satisfied, suspended him, and caused his residence to be searched, in his presence, by the officer in charge of the carriers. From what he was informed, witness gave the accused into custody. On the way to the lock-up, accused admitted having taken letters. After tlie arrest, witness searched tho letter carriers' room, and found 150 letters concealed on tho top of a newspaper case; 708 had benm found at the prisoner's house, about half-a-dozen were open. Some of the letter* reported as missing were said to contain valuable documeuta, &c. Witness produced a memo from the Public Works Department referring to two missing letters addressed to a Mrs Wright, and containing money orders. Accused was asked about them, and said they had not passed through bis hand*. Witness produced the two letters referred to, still containing money orders, £5 10s 5J and £2 Is 4d. Thoy were found among those recovered from the prisoner's residence. Witness produced three othere letters which contained respect ivoly a postal note for 10s, a halfsovereign, and a consultation ticket; none of the letters produced had been found open. Witness believed that those found open had been delivered and opened by the persons receiving them, the accused failing to obtain endorsements to that effects. So far as witness knew, nothing valuable had been taken from the letters and, apparently, none had been destroyed. Tho prisoner might, at soma risk, have cashed the money orders. There were no other acts of dishonesty known against tho prisoner; his general conduct was good, though ho was very dilatory. Witness could see no other reason for the prisoner's action, save idleness. His ago was nineteen years. Tlie postmarks on tho letters showed that tho practico of not delivering had commenced shortly - after his entering the service. No registered letters had been missed. , All tho letters found, had since been delivered to the persons addressed. F. J. Staples, in charge of letter carriers, deposed . that on December 3rd he went with the accused to his house, and examined a box belonging to him. There was in it another box full of letters, and two parcels of letters and some sample boxes of tobacco (produced). It was usual to send such boxes by post, blit there was no discoverable postmark on them. In answer to witness, accused said he had been in the habit of taking letters home, from the first month he had been in the service. . Tho accused was taken to the post office; on the way he told Mr Miller, that there were letters hidden on tho top of a newspaper case in the letter carriers' room, and witness -found about 150 letters in that place. The total number recovered was 258 letters, and 450 circulars. Besides the letters referred to by Mr Milter in has evidence, witness identified one (produced) containing a crossed cheque for £16 8s 4d, as one found by him in the, prisoner's locker. The only complaint witness had against the accused, before the present, was want of- punctuality; he was 3uiet, and there was no other evidence of his ishonesty. Witness thought the motive of the accused was pure laziness. So far as - known, all the letters, given to accused for delivery hay? now reached their destination. , Mrs 8. Wright deposed that the two letters produced were cent to her by her husband. „ She should have received them on September 17th and November 7th. She expected them before and before had asked the accused about them, but he said he had not got them. A. Campbell, in the employment of Pyne and Co., deposed to having posted a letter about November 25th containing -a cheque for £16 8s 9d to A. S. 8011. A. S. Bull stated that in November he expected,a letter from Pyne and Co. - It did not arrive. He spoke to the accused about it. .He said he knew nothing about it. The letter produced was the one he exipected. Jaa. Hunter, of Methven, deposed «feat on, November 7th he posted the letter produced to his wife, residing at Sydenham. It contained a postal note for 10s. Until now, he had not seen the letter. Miss E. Taylor stated that she knew the letter produced to be from her mother in N.S.W. She did not. get it in the usual course of Sost. Mrs E.. Evans said the letter prouced contained a consultation ticket; she expected it about the middle of August. She asked the accusod about it in October. He said he knew nothing of it. Detective Livingstone deposed to.tho arrest of the accused, who said he hadn't opened the ters. .Witness said thore wero about six opened. Accused said they had been opened in mistake by the wrong persons and handed back to him. Witness searched his house and himself. He found two letters on him. Of the letters produced, three were found in his box and three in,the letter carriers' room. They were taken' to the persons ad-" dressed, who opened- them. This was all the evidence. .Mr Flesher submitted that there waa no evidence of .criminal intent; the accused had not appropriated any of th* contents of the letters, and the offence was merely detaining them. He asked the •&_!.*? dwU summar ily the case. ifmJ??T 1 f n fVI the aociised would be l^ miU . ed for tria1 ' and bail w o~W be allowed, two sureties in £50 each. Breach of Raelwat Bv-i_«v.— John HI <? rt ° ver the -railway crossinjr pT Sfth whetTV - Q ** D * ht Novell^