MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 156, 26 March 1908, Page 4

MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

POLICE CASES. 1 (Before Mr. ,W. G. Riddeil, S.M.) UNLAWFULLY ON PREMISES. ' Five big, able-bodied men, Patrick M'Mahon, Edward Carney, William Johnson. William Whiteside, and James Carney, all entered pleas of guilty to charges of having been found at night' without lawful excuse in a dwelling in Tory Street. . . Sub-lnsphctor O'Douovan stated that tho five men were arrested at 2.45. yesterday morning.in an unoccupied dwolfing-house in Tory Street. Ono of the defendants informed the Court that tho party had. gone into tho building to seek shelter from the rain. Two of'tho men statod that left tho steamer Arawa on Saturday, and a . third said ho had come down from the King Country ; eight or.:nino j days before, and'had spoilt: the few pounds ho had with him on arrival. . . . ' ; His Worship entered a conviction in; each case, and ordered defendants to' como up for sentence when called upon, warning tfceia not to wander' about tlie town, hilt to'get work as soon as possible. ASSAULT AND ALLEGED BREAKING AND ENTERING. A well-built, youthful-looking man, David Rowe, pleaded guilty to a cliargo of having, on March 24, unlawfully assaulted" a police officer,- Arthur . Edwin Andrews, whilst iu tho' execution of his duty. Chief Detective M'Gratli informed the Court that accused was arrested by Detectives -Andrews'and Lewis at; 8,30 oil Tuesday oveuing in connection with another charge. Dotectivj Lewis went- and spoke to two of accuseds comrades, leaving Det-ectivo Andrew'-;, in charge of'the prisoner. ■ Without ar" I '''warning, accused stnick : Detective. .Andrr- St. on the left eye, : and resisted- violently jji' Accused W'as convicted,: and sentenets i, .one month's imprisonment, with hard •; ■-

The ,same defendant was .'charged that, oil March hb broke and entered the dwelling of Fanny' Amelia Eyans, Austin ' Street, and stole two"matches, four rings, tlirco brooches, and severalother articles of '/'jewellery' of a total value of £30. On'-tho application of Chief Detcctivo M'Grath, a remand until April 1 was granted. ' ; . ■' 'maintenance. ■ Fredorick I'arslotf was charged ■ with disobeying an or(ler of 'the Court to pay 10s. per-week' tojva'rd'S: the support of his child; in, the -Wellington Receiving Homo. SubInspector O'Donovan stated that defendants had been arrested twice previously for failing to comply with, this order, and for the past, twelve or fifteen months 'his whereabouts had not been' known. The suggested that defendant had been defying .the, order - for some, time past,. and asked' that a severe-penalty be imposed. His \Y6rshipimposed ■ a • sentence of. three months'' imprisonment, the, warrant to'bo suspended N so long as 30s. per week is paid off the arrears. 'A' youilg manj V Charles Prank ' Stanley Burke,' was'-'remanded to appear on . Friday ,oii a charge of having, at 1 Christchurch, failed to -provide his wife , with adequate means k of support. Bail was: allowed in'the sum of £30, and one surety of: £30.

' ABSENT WITHOUT LEAVE. : : Three i cheeHul-looking/' seamen plf t-lio steamer , Den of Ruthven, ; Jaines ; Taylor, Alexander. .Taylor, ' and; Androw Gowans, pleaded.guilty to having absented themselves from .duty, without leave on March 24.,; Mr,. Johnston, who appeared for .the,'captain of. the vessel, suggested that defendants "should bo ,imprisoned until tho vessel sailed, • andshould be ordered'-to pay costs of Court, and tho expenses i incurrod • in procuring substitutes. ~ , His Worship CQiisiderodytho-suggestion was reasonable. Defendants were 1 .ordered; to undergo.-.three' days'."imprisonment,i and .to.pay '.posts-, £2 25., . or ..to be placed on board the-vessel if she sails.before the sentence .expires. ( , .-. „v'-' '"f

. ALLEGED ASSAULT AND ROBBERY. " ■ James Diggs, and' Frederick jansen,- alias Yanseuy were charged with having, on March 18,-at .Wellington, unlawfully assaulted and robbed one George Dawson of £3 10s. George Dawson; fireman,, stated that on the evening of' March 18 he went to' tlio Masonic Hotel, and mot: the : two accused there with two firemen witness did not know! Witness paid for drinks for the crowd,' taking tho .money"out of' a purse whioh 'contained three pound notes and about l2s.Vin silver,! which" tlio accused could see. Witness and tho two; accused left the hotel after about a quarter of an hour,, and Jansen said lie would go'and, get witness a bed. Jansen back and said ho had got a bed, and 'took witness'and Diggs to near the: Fores-; tars' Arms Hotel. . 'Witness went down the lane there, and the two accused followed him. Diggs s got hold-'of-; witness, and. Jansen put his .hand 1 in, witness's pocket aiid ' took the purse. Jansen subsequently ran away, and witness chased hiin calling -"Police!"- butcould not ov-ertake him.; Witness, was ■ cross-e'xaminecl : at length by both accused as to whether the hotel, was tho Masonic or ,the Terminus. , . Arthur M'Cauley, doorkeeper .at His. Majesty's Theatre, saw -the two'accused; soon after 9 o'clock on March 18 in" company "wJth Dawson. Tho men wore in front of the Foresters' Arms Hotel, ' and/ subsequently went down tho right-of-way. Two or three minutes' later witness heard someone calling out, " Police!" and saw Jansen running alongfrom the direction of the right-of-way. Dawson followed a little later. '-1....;- -.' Detective Cassells and Sergeant Stewart also gave evidence. The latter stated that he. searched Diggs the same evening,, but found no money'about him; ■

Both accused pleaded not guilty, and werecommitted to tho Supremo Court for trial. SECURITY UNDER BILL OF SALE. Francis Halligan, defended by Mr. Wilford, was charged that, boing tlio grantor of a'bill of sale to John Wi|kinson, of Dunodin, solicitor, he; did, on January 30, 1907, by tho sale of a horse and express comprised therein, attempt,to defraud tho.said John Wilkinson, and impair' his .security.' After tho evidence had been beard, accused pleaded guilty, and was committed to the Supreme Court for sentence. Bail was allowed in the sum of £75, and two sureties of: £37 10s. each; . VAGRANCY CHARGES. A middle-aged woman named Sarah Jamieson was charged with boing an idle and disorderly person, having insufficient lawful means of support. A plea of not guilty was entered, Evidence was given by Sergeant .Stewart and Constable M'Gregor as to'the habits of defendant.. Defendant's husband gave evidence that -he supported his wife.' His Worship held-that,, on tlio evidence, it would be impossible to convict, Defendant would bo discharged. Frederick Barron Sinclair Cook pleaded guilty to avchargo of boing an idle and disorderly person, with insufficient lawful means of support. O'Doiiovan informed '.the- Court that acciiscd had been sleeping out in tho open air of late, and had maao no attempt to get work. Nothing further:than the present charge was known against defendant. - , His Worship remarked that it was surprising to find an able-bodied; man liko defendant' before the Court on such a charge; Ho would bo convicted, and sentenced to threo months' imprisonment. . .MISCELLANEOUS CASES. For theft 'of a. pair of trousers, valued at 12s. Cd., tlio" property of Thos. Clarke,-from outside a shop door, a man'named George Hustings was convicted and sentenced to 21 days' imprisonment. . ' "Guilty, Your Worship; but I don't remember anything : about it," was tho answer tendered by a young man, Thos. AfCrann,, to a charge of having, on March 24 at Wellington, wilfully damaged a shbw-caso window, valued at 305., the property of ono Sigall. Defendant ,-was romanded-.'until to-day for sentence, to euablo further inquiries to bo made. ;

Arthur Roddy pleaded not guilty to a charge of having attempted to commit an.

unnatural offence at Miramar. on February 14, and was committed to tlib Supreme Court for. trial. Thomas M'Lcnnan Was" charged that on August 22, at Wellington, ,he did steal a coat, yaluo £2, the. property of Timothy ~ Murray. Chief Detective M'Gratli stated that dofendant denied the charge, and the informant was unable to be found. The police, in the circumstances, did not feel justified in asking for. a -further remand. , His Worship said thero was no .evidence against defendant:.*. Thi. information would, bo struck out.. ' '' A well-dressed man," Alfred John Smith, pleaded guilty to a charge of * having, on March 24, used obsqone language ill'.Cuba Street. Defendant was convicted and. fined £5, and costs 3s.' ; in default 14 days'-im-, prisomnent. Vi . George Stant was, convicted and' ordered to como up' for sentence when called upon, for procuring liquor during the currency of " :Ua prohibition. order. ■ - - ' vv .. Ono first offender for drunkenness was convicted and fined lj)s., hours' imprisonment; another was convicted and fined ss:, in default 24 hours' imprisonment jr. and a' third was convicted and discharged.-

ALLEGED FORGERY. Wallace. Herbert-- Stewart wiiß charged, with • having, oil or' about August 16,' at 'Wellington, forged the name of H. V. S. Griffiths to a receipt for £5" ss; Horace Victor Samuel Griffiths deposed that ho drew up a, plan of: a building for defendant and charged £5 55,; for the work. The money had net been paid, .but defendant promised to', suo another man, 'for whom, lio; said, the plalis. were made, and try and get the money fronrhim. ..The man was sued iirdue course, ami among, the .receipts put in".by.. Stewart was one lor • £5' ss. for an arcln-' .t-ect's fee signed in tho namd' of H.'V.' S.-; Griffiths. : The signature was not witness's,.! nor: was'it an' imitation' of. his \signature. He had never 1 givqii Stewart power to' actas his" agent; as ho,did not know anyone but Stew-art in. the. transaction. . , Mr. Toogood, for. the'defence, stated that accused did not 'admit that lie intentionally or wilfully committed forgery. In signing . the'.receipt,, he. did so actnig as agent, ana ; believing tliat { he. 'h'ad 1 authority as agent, to uso tho.njini'o of'.Griffiths to recover the money from' 1 the other 'man. ' •' ■ Accused'-pleaded not guilty;' and i wits' com-'-mitted ."to the Supreme','Court for trial.' Bail;was allowed in the sUrn of ' £100 and two'sureties 1 of £50 each'... , ,