LONG CRIME CALENDAR.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1285, 14 November 1911, Page 6

LONG CRIME CALENDAR.

AT CIIRTSTCHURCH. (By Telegraph-Press Association.) Christchurcli, November 13. Tho criminal sittings opened to-day, before Mr. Justice Denniston. His Honour, in addressing the grand jury, so.ul that tho calendar was a fairly lengthy ono, and somo of the cases wero of a serious character. Ho regretted that there were two or three very objectionable cases. There was ono very peculiar cak—that of a jealous woman who, finding her youiijj man" going out with someone else, was alleged to have broken into tho other woman's house, and thrown cajeuuo pepper in her eyes. Fortunately, no prions injury had boon inflicted. it was the duty of tho jurv, if they found a prima facio case, to return a bill accordingly. Andrew Semb, charged with beine a habitual offender, was declared a habitual criminal, and was ordered to bo detained in custody until such tiino as lie had'satisfied tho authorities that ho had abandoned the. course or hfo which lie had in the past followed. In .tho ease.of Grace Agues MTaggart, who had pleadfd euiU.y to bigiiii>.\, his Honour said that there was no wider dogroe of crime than in bigamy. The rccmt caso was peculiar in somo respects. Prisoner would be ordered to come_ up for sentenco when called upon, provided I that she paid the .costs of tho proceedings.

I Mary Drown, a young woman, came up I. for sentence for concealment of birth. Mr. Hunter, who appeared for licni, said that sue had been three months in gsol prior to tho last Court sessions, and she had sinco been three months in the Samaritan Home. His Honour said that; prisoner had practically, been in gaol for six months, so that, under theso circum stances, lie would only sentence her to three months' imprisonment, dating from the last sessions, so that she would he now practically discharged. Norman Earn nay' I'-amti up for sentence on* a chargo of breaking and entering. Mr. Stringer slated that prisoner had just come out of gaol, when he went to his mother and asked her for assistance. She bought him a set of carpenters tools for his trade, and, within four days, he had committed his present offence. Prisoner was sentenced to eighteen months imprisonment. "Con" Twomey, a, seventeen-year-old youth, pleaded guilty to n. charge of criminal assault. Prisoner was ordered to come up for sentence when called upon. Charles Amos Houston pleaded guilty to two charges of forging and uttering cheques. He received tavo years imprisonment on each charge, the sentences to be concurrent. Margaret Christina Porter, for whom Jfr. Cassidy apnearcd, pleaded not guilty to breaking and entering the dwelling of Charles Dodd with intent to commit a crime therein, but guilty t'o unlawfully assaulting ono Mary O'Donnell. The Crown Prosecutor accepted the plea.. His Honour said that he was sure that neither the country nor the woman had anything to gain by sending her to gaol, but then tliero was the question of example to consider. It was no use fining a woman of this sort because, no doubt, it would come out of tho-mouths of her oMdren. It was not a caso of punishment, but to deter. His Honour ordered prisoner to enter into ono surety of „E25 for her good behaviour in tho future, and ordered her to come up for sentenco when called upon. Thomas Veitch, for whom Mr. Leathern appeared, pleaded not guilty, to receiving a cheque lor XlO from some person unknown, knowing tho same to Uavo been dishonestly obtained. Accused was eon-1 victed anil sentence was deferred.

OTAGO'S LIGHT CRIME LIST. Duncdin, November 13. Tho criminal sittings of tho Supremo Court opened to-day, before Mr. Justice Sim, who congratulated 'h<. district «n the lightness of the calendar, I'herc being only three cases for hearing. Alexander Wnlquist was sentenced to nine, months' imprisonment for breaking nnd entering a hut near Oam.wu, and, ou a charge of bcinga rogue and a vagabond. G»orgo Ernest Kelly was sontoncaii to six months' imprisonment., and ordered to bo detained for reformative treatment for a period not exceeding five years. George Marshall, chargcd with a certain act, n a public place, and alternatively with •committing a certaiu act, was ncauitl.od.