MAGISTRATE'S COURT

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2492, 19 June 1915, Page 14

MAGISTRATE'S COURT

SENDING OFFENSIVE LETTERS " WOMAN FINED £10 For some months past the Catholic clergy and laity of tlie City have been in receipt of offensive anonymous letters. In eacli case the writer signed tie letter "Gordon Andrew- Martin, author of 'Catholioism and Crime'." " Detective Mason was successful in tracing the writer, and yesterday in the Magistrate's Court, before Mr. D. G. A. Cooper, S.M., a middle-aged woman named Laetitia Jano Hood was charged on three informations with "posting a postal packet with words of a. grossly offensive character thereon." Tile iinformant in the first case was Thomas Devoy, in the second Alice W. GirlingButcher, - and iu the third Thomas O'Shea: Mr. I'. J. O'llegan-appeared for the informants, while defendant, wlio was not represented by counsol, pleaded not guilty. - Counsel for the proseoution said the charges had been laid under Section 83 of the Post and Telegraph Act, 1908, which made an offendor liable to a lino of £20. Archdeacon Devoy, parish priest of St. Anne's, Wellington South, was the first witness. He said,that on May 22 last he received the letter produced, which was signed 'G. A. Martin, author of' 'Catholicism and Crime'." The letter W-aa handed to the Magistrate, who perused it. Archbishop O'Shea, the next witness, said that on February 26 last he received a letter addressed Archbishop O'Shea, R.C., signed G. A. Martin, author, eto. .Alice Winifred Girling-Buteher said her fat/her was secretary of the Catholic Federation. Plie remembered receiving a latter addressed "Mr. Popplewell, secretary of the Catholic Federation." The letter was opened, and as neither witness nor her father knew the handwriting, the letter was haiided to tlo police. Minnie Dumij shop assistant (Kirkcaldie and Stains, Ltd.), said she knew accused, who lived at the same boardinghouse with her. Witness left the place at the end of last year because of the insnlting remarks accused used to make to her regarding her religion. After leaving the house she received a. number of letters signed G. A. Martin, from accused, which reiterated tht> insulting remarks made to witness while in the house. Jessie Aitcheson, a married woman, - living in Kent Terrace, said she knew j the accused, who boarded in her house . during December last. Accused was ! then engaged in dressmaking, and was writing a book entitled "Catholicism j and Crime." Detective Mason said that while mak- j ing inquiries he 'received from a Mr. , Bailey, of Newtown, a letter, produced, j It was headed : 232. Willis. Street, and signed Mrs. Hood. Ho compared the , writing with the writing in the letters j now in court,- and immediately com- c I menced a search for accused. He finally t located accused at 70 Cambridge Ter- 4 race. He showed her the letter pro- 4 duced, aid after reading it accused ad- J mittea she was the writer of it. Wit- „ nes's then showed her the offensive lot- | ters, subject of the present charge, and jj after reading the let/ter she said: "Yes,, j, I wrote the. lott-ers, that is my signa- j ture; .it is' my pen name." Accused j said, "I am not afraid. I only hoped when I wrote the letters to aggravate v them to take action." . a

Detectivo Tricklebaulc, who assisted Detectivo Mason in his investigations, gave corroborate© evidence. This concluded the evidence, and tlio Magistrate asked . accused if she had anything to say. Accused quoted tho wording of the charge, and said that it said nothing about 'offensive words in a. letter, but only "a postal packet with offensive words thereon." In view of this she had 110 charge to answer. The Magistrate explained Unit the letter was a postal packet, and the offensive writing was on it. 'Hor objection must fail. Accused persisted t'hat she,, had beon charged under vile wrong section. His Worship: But I rule otherwise, i'ou can appeal against my ruling if you like. Accused: Yes. 1 intend to appoiil. Mr. O'Kegan remarked that the letters accused had written would be the subject of much more serious proceedings. They intended to proceed against accused for criminal libel. Tie Magistrate: "The letters are of a very .offensive character indeed. Ac-' cused will be convicted." A fine of £10, with costs £1 125., was imposed on , tie first charge, while' on the two other charges accused was convicted and discharged. Security for appeal was iixod at, £20. MILK VENDORS FINED. Another milk vendor Harold F. Walker was charged in the Magistrate's Court yesterday with selling' milk containing added water. Defendant, who was represented by Mr. T. W. Jackson, pleaded no.t guilty. Mr. V. 11. Meredith appeared for the Health Department. Defendant denied absolutely that he had tampered with his milk. The person from whom lie had originally purchased'the milk had admitted to him (accused) that the milk had been watered. Tho Magistrate said he must enter a conviction, but that under tho circumstances it would be a light one, however. A fine of £2 with costs Was imposed. The Magistrate also gave judgment in tho case of Donald Cook, tho case against whom was heard earlier in the week. The evidence as to how the milk became watered was similar to Walker's case. A fina of £2 with costs was imposed. Sir Kenneth Douglas appeared for Cook.

EX-TROOPER GETS THREE MONTHS. An ex-trooper from Trcntham, Ernest Edward Harper, pleaded not guilty to a charge of stealing a money-belt and contents (seven sovereigns), of a total value of £7 2s. 6d., from Arthur Edward Brierley on June 10. Accused was convicted, and as ho had previous convictions recorded against him he was sentenced to throo months' imprisonment. OTHER CASES. Charles Dempster and John Cashman ivoro further remanded to June 24 on a charge of stealing a quantity of goods valued at £25 from Butterworth Brothors - For drunkenness, I'ercival Richard Waddy, a, prohibited person, was lined 10s.. in default forty-eight hours' imprisonment. One lirst-olfending inebriate was dealt with. BY-LAW BREACHES. For permitting his car to stand on the Featherston Street stand when there were more than six cars thore already, Donald Eraser was fined 10s. with costs 7s. Arthur Duncan was fined 55., with costs lis., on a charge of driving his express over the rails in Bunny Street without obeying the street directions. William A. Wilson was fined 10s., with costs £1 Bs., for commoncing tho erection of a building at Eastbourno without a permit. Benjamin Samuel Reed was fined Gs., with costs 75., for riding a motor-cycio in Adelaide Road at moro than twenty miles an hour. For breaches of the vehicular lighting by-laws, Cedric Allan, Herbert I'orter. and' William Cranelield were each fined'ss., with costs 7s. For allowing' stock to wander the following were penalised as mentioned; — Mary Fceley, fined IDs., with costs is., .Roderick ll'Leod, Herbert kiddle, and,

John William Brown, cacli fined ds., with costs 75.; Staveley and Waits fined £1, with costs 7a. A CIVIL ACTION. A civil action heard by Mr. W. G Iliddell, S.M., was one in which Herbert Charles Wilson, clerk, proceeded against G. Volkman and Co., trading as Young, George and Co., Central Garage, Vivian. Street, for. £10, representing wages alleged to be dne to plaintiff from defendants. After hearing tho evidence, the Magistrate gave judgment for £4. Mr. P. W. Jackson appeared for plaintiff and Mr. H. P. O'Leary for defendant.