RESIDENT MAGISTRATE'S COURT. This Day. (Before J.C. Crawford, Esq., R.M.)

Evening Post, Volume XIV, Issue 124, 23 November 1876, Page 2

RESIDENT MAGISTRATE'S COURT. This Day. (Before J.C. Crawford, Esq., R.M.)

COOL THBFT. James Campbell, who said he was a sailor, was charged with having taken from the pockets of William Sayers a pipe and a purse while layers was lying in a drunken sleep on some boards near the breastwork. He had been seen from one of the windows of the Government Buildings by Mr. William Hoggard and Mr. Eugene Bellairs, quietly appropriating 1 articles from the pockets of Sayers, and information of the circumstance was given to the police. The prisoner was arrested by Constable Ryan, and on being searched a pipe and a purse were found upon him, the latter containing some documents — certificates of discharge as a seaman. When asked whether he w^s guilty or not, the prisoner said " Not guilty wilh intent to rob ; I took the property lor safe keeping." After the evidence, and when asked what he had to say, he said — " This man aud me were shipmates in 1864 from London to the West Indies. He told me yesterday that he was the worse of liquor, and wanted to lay down. I was smoking his pipe at the time, and when he lay down the discharges were sticking out of his pocket." He concluded by asking that Sayers should be called as a witness, and Sayers, a sailor on board of the schooner Julius Vogel, was sent for. His statement was th|t

be had I»een a shipmate with the prisoner in 1800, and that he had met him in Wellington on Monday. He had not, however, authorised him* to take possession of any of his property. The prisoner, on the appearance of this witness in the box, apparently forgot his original statement, and said lie knew nothing of the man ; he (the prisoner) was a stranger here, having only arrived a few days ago from Lyttelton. He was sentenced to a month's imprisonment with hard labor. ROBBING A BAR. William Daniel was charged with stealing 5s from the till in the bar of Elliott's Golden Fleece Hotel, Pakuratahi. George Moss, the barman in the hotel, while standing in the cellar, but with his head above the floor of the bar, had seen the prisoner putting his hand through a small window and into the till. He followed him, took him into a room in the hotel, and, because he was " obstropolous," tied him down until Mr. Elliott returned, and until Constable Lister was sent for. When searched, five shillings were found on him, and this amount n-a* missed from the till. He previously appeared to have no money, his drinks having been paid for by other*. The prisoner said he could, if he were allowed time, procure n good character from his lato employer, who lived "on the other side of Napier,* hut the Magistrate thought the suggestion nnd the situatidn were rather remote, and that the theft had been proved. He therefore sentenced prisoner to three months' hard labor. Thomas Brown, who was described as the " chum " of Daniel, was charged with stealing a bottle of porter from the bar of the same hotel. Mrs. Elliot had informed Moss, the barman, that the prisoner was sitting in front of the hotel with a bottle of porter in his hands, and Moss found him there "playing with it." he had not bought a bottle of porter, and he was given in charge. The prisoner was remanded for a week, to enable evidence to be given as to his having taken the bottle from the bar. (Before Messrs. J. Moore andC.O'Neill, J.P.s) LARCENY. The hearing of the charge of larceny brought by Edwin Hoskins against Henry Aldridge was resumed before these justices, and the complainant was further cross-examined by Mr. Barton. This cross-examination lasted for some hours, without eliciting any particulars as to the charge, aud at its conclusion the Court was adjourned until 2 o'clock. On the case being resumed, Constable Buchanan was called as a witness, and the evidence had not been concluded when wo went to press.