Magistrate's Court.

Evening Post, Volume XXXIV, Issue 153, 29 December 1887, Page 3

Magistrate's Court.

This Day. (Before Messro. E. Baker, G. V. Shannon, and R. M. Simpson, Justices.) NO APPEARANCE. Mar/arot Lenham was called to an«wer charges of drunkonnosn and of having mado use of obscene language in Woodward-street on the 27th December. The accused not putting in an appearance, a warrant was or do rod to bo issued for hor arrest. A6BAUIIT. Charles Davis, John Donovan, John Jones, and James M'Qnin, four rough-looking characters, nppoarod, on remand, to answer a chargo of having assaulted Honry Knight on the 25th of December. Charles Davis was nlio charged with assaulting Albert Knight. Tho accusod govorally ploadcd Not Guilty. Albert Knight, a baker, and brother of tho o implainant, gavo oviclonco ns to the assault, which took place in Qnin-Btrcet, at about 3 a.m. on Christmas Day. Davis struck witnosH in tho oye with his fist, and mado off up tho streot. WitnosK was with his brother and a man named MO il fin at tho timo. No provocation was given for tho nspault. Jamos M'Gilfin deposed ho was in compaDy with last witness ami Honry Knight 011 tho morning in (juogtion. Saw Davis Btriko Albort Knight and then run away. Houry Knight and witnoss followod, mid when thoy had gonn a short distance up tho stroot, six men, amongst whom ho recognised Jonos and M'Quin, rushed out, armed with brooms, and savagely attacked Honry and Albert Knight, knocking thom_ down several times. A policoraan appearing on the sceno, thoy all cleared off. Honry Knight Ravo ftimilar ovidonco. Constablo M'Anerin doposwl to hearing (thonts in tho direction of tho street montionod. On going in that direction ho Raw kg v oral mon run away. Ho followod them and saw two of them go into a houno. When Davis was arrested, he had on Henry Knight's coat Davis informed tho flonch that ho only struck tho Knights in self defence. Jonos and McQuin said thoy know nothing at all about tho mattor. Tho Bonoh discharged Donovan, and sontonood tho other throo to ono month's imprisonment with hard labour. VAGRANCY. Jones and McQuin were also charged with having no lawful moans of support, and pleaded Not Guilty. Tho polico decided to withdraw the ohargo, as the mon had to undorgo a month's imprisonment for tho assault. ALLEGED INDECENT ARBAULT. A middle-aged man named Uriah James Williams was charged with having, on tho 7th of Docombor, indecently assaulted a littlo girl named Fanny Pilchor, 9 yoars of age. Tho assault was allegori to havo been committed at tho Nai Nni. Serjeant Morico Qonduotod tho prosecution. Fanny Pitcher, npon whom the assault was allowed to have boon committod, was put into tho witness box, and doposed that sho wonld be nine years old next month. Sho lived at Nai Nai with her father and mother. She romom bored mooting tho accused on the road noar Mr. Russell's houso on a Wednesday evoning, but could not recollect tho dato. The accused spoko to hor. She mado a short out across somo paddocks to hor uncle's placo, and was followed into tho paddocks by the accused, who took hold of hor and behaved vary indecently. Sho asked him to let hor go, but he would not do po. [Witness then desoribod the assault.] Tho aconsod afterwards walked with hor as far as her unolo's gate Sho was crying, and the aeoused wiped her eyes with his liandkorchiof, and made hor kiss him boforo leaving. She did not romember having seen tho aeoused before the assault, but was oortain ho was the same person. She recognised him outside tho Court this morning. Ellen Pilcher, mother of tho girl, deposed that her danghtor loft tho honso to go to her uncle's about half-past 6 *,on the evopingof the 7th. Whon she returned , home the following day sho complained that a man had followed her into the Bwamp, but did not. say anything about having betn assail tod. Witness was first told of the affai: by hor elder daughter, and Fanny, whon quostioncd, admitted having been assaulted. She went; with her daughter to Mr. Harris', whore the accused "was living, and asked him why ho had insulted her daughter. The aeoused denied that he 'hod seen tho girl before. Carolino Pilchor, aistor of tho complainant, stated that her sister told her of tho assault on Thursday, ¦whon Bhe returnod from her unclo'B, and sho therefore complained to her mother. Elizabeth Pook deposed that Funny Piloher, who was hor nieco, came to her house crying on tho evening npon which tho assault was allegod to have been committed. Tho child did not tell her that she had been assaultod, hnt she Btftyed at witness' house all that night. Robert Busftgll, farmer, deposed that he saw tho ¦oowjpd on the road near Mr. Peek's about 8 a'a&ck on the morning of 7th Deoomber. He was then going towards Harris' place Samuel Harris, farmer, of Nai Nai, stated that accused had been in his employment for lone timo previous to tho day on which tho assault was alleged to have beon committed. On that day tho accused loft his plaoe about 6 or 7 o'clock in the evening, and did not return again until 9. Witnoss asked tho accused whoro ho had boon, and ho replied that he scarcely knew whero ho had beon. When Mrs. Pilchor enquired for the accused at witness' houso he was away haymaking, but he returnod whilo Bhe waited. Ho denied having assaulted the girl. In a conversation a eliort time afterwards, accusod said that tho good woman (meaning Mrs Pilcher) was going to do him a good turn, and not summon him for tho assault. Tho acciißod gavo his namo as William James when living with tho witness. Constablo liar nett deposed to arresting the accusedon the 19th of December on warrant. Aoensed denied having committod tho assault and said that he waß at the Lower Hutt at the timo. Rose Crawford, wife of the licensee of the Contral Hotel, Lower Hutt, remembered Constable Harnett bringing the accused to the hotel on tho 19th December. . Aocnaed asked witness if she remembered having seen him in tho hotel on tho evening of the 7th, and she replied that she did not remember having seen him boforo. The Bench held that a pritna facie caso had beon made out, and formally committed tho acousbd for trial.