MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 239, 2 July 1908, Page 2

MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

POLICE' CASES. (Before Mr. W. G. Riddel], S.M.) ALLEGED BREAKING AND ENTERING. . >; . ACCUSED COMMITTED FOR TRIAL. Georgo Oram appeared on romand on a cliargo of having on Juno 21 at Wellington broken and entered the shop of Thomas Crouch, jeweller, Cuba Street, and stolen therein 51 diamond, ruby,'sapphire, emerald, turquoise, and opal rings, and two brooches of a total value of £480. Chief Detectivo M'Grath conducted the case for the prosecution. Thomas Crouch, jeweller, deposed that ho resided on his premises in Cuba Street, and locked up the shop about 10.30 p.m. on Saturday, June 20, leaving a quantity of goods in itlio window facing the street. At about 5.30 o'clock next morning witness heard a slight cracking of glass, and went into the shop, whero ho saw that the blind across the front window was apparently all right, and presuming everything was in order went back to bed without making a closo examination. About a quavter of an hour lator Constable : M'Gregor aroused witness and told him the window was broken, and on closer examination the blind was found to be cut, the window broken, and a quantity of jewellery comprising rings and brooches was missing. The wholesale value of the total would be about £300. Tlio sapphire ring produced was ono of tboso missing from the window. It was' valued at about £<12. Witness saw accused about 6.15 on.the Sunday morning, when ho (accused) came to the shop door and spoke to witness. , Ac"cused gave witness to understand that ho had been stopped by; a constable and searched.

Ho was very indignant, and said ho had Influential friends and had a brother on the other side"' who was a manufacturing jeweller. Accused said further that ho was goto see the matter through. Constable M'Gregor deposed that ho was q t u wty in Cuba Street on Sunday morning, June 21, and heard a noise of glass hreakln2 ot 5.33 a.m. Witness was near Veitch ana Allan s corner at the time, and went aown Hie street until he came to Crouch's sliopj where he found the window broken and a,,f ~ 3' ln s on the footpath. ' Witness eaued Air. Crouch,-' who examined the win-' dow and of the theft.' Later, about U.lo or 6.30, witness saw accused walking down Cuba Street. Witness stopped liiiu and asked him where he had been all night. Accused said, "Why—what's wrong?" Witness sa.id he would have to search him, and accused wanted to know "what for." Witness searched the man lint found nothing on him. Again about 0.30 witness saw accused talking to Mr. Crouch in front of tho shop, and about 8.30 saw hiw again in a right-of-way alongside Hannah's boot shop togotlior ltli a man named Peterson. Wit-' ness asked them what they were doing, and icterson said, they were', doing no liarm. Witness searched both men, but. found no stolen property on them. John Douglas, labourer, living at No. 1 \\ atson Street, knew accused, who somot imes visited the house where witness "stayed. Just before 7 o.'dock on June 21 accused called at tho house, and showed l witness a ring, saying " What do you think of my en-' gagement ring?" , Accused said, lift 'bought the ring, which was similar to the one produced, and which bad a stone missing. : Albert E. Wakeham, french, polisher, residing at 66 Ghuznco Street, was at tho corner of Cuba Street and Taranaki Place on June 23 in company with a man named Martin. came along, and witness suggested having a drink. Accused said ha' had no money, but said if witness liked ti pawn a ring he had for ss. he would shout. Witness took the ring into Metz's and pledged it for ss. in his own name, after accused had assured him it was all right. Tho ring produced Was similar to the one pawned. • : Thomas Martin, painter, gave corroborative- evidenco, and Joseph Metz, pawnbroker, gave evidence as to witness having pawned tho ring produced. \ . .. . • Broberg deposed that on June 25 he saw accused in Cuba Street. Accused deiiied any knowledge-,of the, pawning of tho ring,, and was taken to Manners Street police station, where witness searched hiin, finding tho pawn ticket . (produced): that- accusea said was given to him. Witness then took him to the Lambton Quay station, 'where, after being identified by tho witness Wakeham, accused said lie found tho ring in Cuba Street. . * ' Accused pleaded not guilty, and was committed'.to the Supremo Court for trial.' Bail' was allowed in tho sum-of £100, and two sureties of £50 each.

THEFT OF DOOR MATS. ■ A middle-aged man named John. William Walsh pleaded guilty to four separate charges of stealing door mats. : . Mr. Fair, who appeared for defendant, informed tho Court that his client'was in an. unfortunate position, having had a seriou3 fall from a building in courso of erection. Since that accident defendant had returned - to work, and had again met with: an accident, a splinter of wood entering one of lfis eyes. These accidents had affected ,his behaviour of late, and counsel would ask that ho should bo convicted and ordered to. come up for sentence when called upon. , • Sub-Inspector Phair said the police' had, not yet had an opportunity of making inquiries about defendant, and ho. would ask for a remand until Friday to enable inquiries to bo made. Bail .was allowed in the .suin of £5, and ono surety of. £5. ■.' , MISCELLANEOUS. .".'■/ John Webb,'remandod from Tuesday on a charge of-.having ■ been found by night without lawful excuse in a. shed in Willis Street, appeared again, ,and was defended by. Mr.Neave. l Defendant pleaded not guilty. ■ Evi-' dence for the. prosecution. showed that defendant established himself. in the shed, 'where ho had cooking utensils, a rug, etc. Further evidence showed-that defendant i had tho authority of the owner of the premises for being there; : His worship dismissed the information. Adam J. Mills,' was ordered to contribute the sum of 7s. 6d.] per week towards the support of his illegitimate child, and-to pay £9 '9s. expenses. . For insobriety Andrew Jacobs and Henry Taylor wero each convicted and fined 205., in default seven days'', imprisonment. Three first offenders were convicted, and fined 55., in default 24 hours' imprisonmont, and ,ono was convicted and discharged. BY-LAW CASES. ' ' / : Georgo Banks was convicted and fined 40s. arid 1 costs ; 75. ; , for failing to observo tho rulo of the road whilst driving a motor {car in' Jervois .Quay.';'; ■. . . A conviction and fine of 205., and costs 75., was entered against James Wilson, for furious driving on Juno 18. The same defendant was convicted and ordered to pay Court costs, 75., for driving a vehicle, without, a light. . f John'Ferguson failed to-appear' in answer to,a charge, of wantonly flogging a horse in Custom House Quay on June 17, and was convicted and fined 405., and costs 165., in default ■14 days' imprisonment.' Evidence showed that defendant appeared to lose control of himself, and flogged the. horse in tho manner mentioned in the information. For being the owner of premises, t!]o chimney of which was allowed to catch, fire, Agnes M'Lean was convicted and fined 55., and costs 7s. •• .■ ■. . The following owners of dogs who had failed to register their pets were convicted and .ordered to pay Court costs 7s.Thos. Chapman, Mary Ann Clout, Edward Gallichau, Elizabeth Henderson, and Frederick Lingard.' . < Arthur Allen Lewer was convicted; .and fined 10s., and. costs 75., for allowing his " horse to wander, and Alfred J. Slack was convicted and' ordered to pay Coiirt costs 75., for being the owner of a cow found wandering. - TRUANCY CASKS. ■ A considerable number of informations laid by. tho-Truant.lnspector were heard : against parents who-failed to send their children to school regularly. Fines were'imposed as followJ. G. Wilkes, 10s. andcosts 75., aiid on a second charge ordered to pay costs 7s. ; Leonard King, ss. without costs; Wm. Cameron, Alfred Churchill, Ed. win Ellis, and Mrs.'Alec Ting, 25., and cost 7s. j Timothy Moynihan, 2s. without costs.