MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 284, 25 August 1908, Page 7

MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

. rOLICIi CASES. ■ (Before Messrs. John Collins aiid E. - Carrigan, J.P.'s.) MAN MASQUERADING IN FEMALE , ' ATTIRE. A i young man named Denis William Quill appeared on-a'charge of boing an iillo and disorderly person within tho-moaning-of the Police Offences' Act, 1884, in that lie was found by: night-on August 23 disguised in : female clothing in l'iric Street. Accused, through his -.solicitor,- Mr. O'Leary,-pleaded not guilty to boing an idlo and- disorderly person, and: guilty tp. masquerading in a woman's olothesi'i'XJiu-tho' application ■: of Mr. O'Leary,accused was re-, manded until Friday next, bail boinS-a'llbjved in tho sum of £20; and-one surety or £20. THEFT OF'-A' PAIR OF SLIPRERS. Patrick Scott'pleaded guilty to' a chargo of having, on -August 22;'-at Wellington, stolen a pair of slippers valued at 4s.- 6d., the property of -Thomas John '•LeigktdnW ••Sub-.-lnepeotor - Pliair ' informed' the Boncli that ooniplainant, : a bootmaker .''ill Molestforth Street, heard.-a noise iii-.his shop late on Saturday night, and on going outside found accused'iii tlio right-of-way; , and handed him over to the police. ■ When .searched tho pair of slippers was found on accused, who said, they 'had beeii"given him by a- man down the street. A conviction .and lino of :205;.,- iy, default seven days' imprisonment, was imposed. T-. A:VAGRANCY CHARGEir'•'•■; V, Thomas 'Albert L'eppcl' pleaded gililty tp. a chargo of being deemed a rogue" and vagabond, within .tlio "meaning 'of 'tho ' Polico Oifcnces Act,-18S4, in. t ''that, lie has in'suflU' oient lawful means of support, having been twice' previously convicted■' of being 'an• idlo and disorderly-person. ■' ' Sub-Inspector Phair'stated ' that -accused had como out' of gaol three-weeks ago-after, serving a sentence of thrc6:moiiths,:-ii«prison-ment. ' Since then ho had- been" doing'iio work, -and had no means. ' -■ Ho: had been 'ad» mitted to tho Ohir'p Homo oight or ten' days ago, but only remained there for-one .day. Since then he had been wandering aimlessly about tho streets. On Sunday night accused was found at Wadestown sitting on an old Back amongst some manuka scrub. Accusod said ho intonded sleeping in tho scrub for the night. ' ' A sentence of six months'- imprisonment was imposed. ! • - DESERTING FROM A WARSHIP. A. plea of: guilty was entered by Harold Edwin Conway, charged with having, oh -.or about Docomber. 12, at Auckland, unlawfully dosorted • from 11.M.5. Pegasus, Defendant was remanded to Wellington gaol- to await the arrival of one of H.M. warships, when lie is to bo handed over -to' tho naval authorities. MISCELLANEOUS. An elderly man namod John M'lntosh pleaded guilty to a chargo of indecency, and was convicted and sentenced to seven days' imprisonment. John Shannon was convicted and fined 205., in default seven days' imprisonment, for insobriety. Two first offenders . woro convicted and fined 10s., one was convicted and fined 55., and two convicted and discharged. Minnie Aldridgo was convicted and lined 205., in default seven days' imprisonment, for insobriety, and oil a second chargo of having travelled in a train from Petono to Wollington with intent to evade payment of the legal faro, the same defendant was convicted and fined 105.,. and ordered to pay costs 75.; in default' soven days' imprisonment.

MONEY ORDER TELEGRAMS. ALLEGED FORGERY. ■ (Before Dr. A. M'Arthur, S.M.) Goorge Lceeli was charged (1) with having, 011 August 12, at Wellington, obtained of and from the Postmaster-General the siim of £40 by a certain f«lso prctenco with intent to defraud and (2) with having, on August 12, at Wellington, forged tlio liarao of Goo. Loiteh to a receipt for £40. . Chief Detective M'Grath conducted tho caRO, for tho prosecution. Goorgo Leitcli, minor, residing nt Blackball, stated that' ho arrived in Wellington on August 12, and roquosted his mother to send him £40 by telegram to Wellington. Witness callod at the l'opt Offico on the morning of August 13, and from wlmt iie Wftß told by an officer tlioro wired to his mother,, and on receiving a roply made a complaint to tlio police. Witness had received no money order telegram from his mother. Witness did not sign tho receipt (produced) for tho money order telegram or tho receipt (produced) for £40. No ono elso was authorised to sign tho documents. Wm. Kells, miner, Blackball, q brothor-in-law of tie previous witness,' deposed that

on August 11 ho sent a money crder telegram for £40, addressed: "Geo. Leitch, Post Office, Wellington," at the request of Leitch's mother. .

Melvillo Hankins, telegraph clerk at tho General Post Ollico, Wellington, stated that on Wednesday, August 12, accused came to tho telegraph office about 1.40 p.m. and presented a notice in rofercnco to a money order tologram. Witness said the name on the card ' was his, and that he expected tho money from Blackwall. Accused signed tho receipt for tho order. On being asked who. ho. expected tho money'from accused said ho' could not remember tho jiamo. 'He looked through some of his correspondence, and said lie would havo to gp" back to thq Umpire-. Hotel to get' tho name. Accused said something to tho eircct that the order was commission on the Bale of a motor car, and.as-, sured witness that he (accused) was the man . all right. Accused also mentioned something v about knowing Sir Joseph Ward. Thos. George Cox, cadet in tho Money '. .Order Office, Wellington, stated that the accused came into tho ofuco about 2 p.m. on August 12 and presented tlio order in question. Witness told accused lie would, havc.to be iudentified before ho could receive 'tho money. Accused "said ; lie had his wife out-; side, and'wished to know if she could identify ■him. Witness asked for some other means of identification, and accused went through some correspondence,'.'.but'" none of it bore his nanie. Accused said ho was an agent for, motor cars,' and'had sold a car to a mail in. Blackball. The £40, ho said, was a on tho car. ■ _ Subsequently, accused ' weiit out' to bring his wife, but came back and said, ho could not find his wifo as sho had gone along to Barrett's Hotel.. Another woman was with accused, and this' woman identified him as George Leitch; Another ; clerk, Mr. Gladding, paid the money over. Wm. Joseph Gladding, clerk in the Money Order Office, corroborated the last part of the'' i previous witness's evidence. Witness gave accused 3 ten-pound notes and 2 five-pound: notes! / '* Ronald Scott, watch-house keeper at the' Lambton Quay ; Police Station, stated that accused was locked up oh a charge of drunk- ; onness on August 12, and, oil being dis-' charged next' morning, signed tho property I '' sheet as "Georgo Lcech." ' 'V,'.; 1 Detective Bailey stated that accused made a statement to him and signed it "George Leitch." Accused said he knew what lie was wanted for, and that"if tho money w'bb not his lib .would return it. ' He thought the';' money had been wired to him by a Mr.'' Reeco. . _ . Evidence was also given by George Heale,' ; i F. C. Los'combe, Thos. Inglis, and Wi Kateno.. At .the conclusion of tho evidence CliiefDetectivo M'Grath asked his Worship if the Court considered a prima facie case had been • made out the chargo of false- pretences should bo-withdrawn. •Aqcusejl pleaded not guilty to tile charge of forgery,'and was committed to the Supremo'. Court for trial. 'Bail was allowed in'the sum , of'£loo and "two sureties ; 'of £50 each. .'