TO-DAY'S SITTING. A SERIOUS OFFENCE.

Evening Post, Volume LX, Issue 119, 16 November 1900, Page 6

TO-DAY'S SITTING. A SERIOUS OFFENCE.

Angus Young, -who had been found Guilt)- on a charge of assault with intent to commit rape, was brought up for sentence. Prisoner asked that he might be admitted to probation. His Honour refused fhe application. In passing sentence ho said the case was ;i very curious one, ami one in which at iirst sight a conviction would appear to bo very improbable. Yet he had been tonvicted. and in the Court's opinion most properly convicted. Ho was inclined to think that the alienee was rot one of the worst possible class, bill it was a very gross one, and one which must be met by substantial punishment. ':le woul-d bo mercHul, bait would als"o eiitlosvour to bo just. This sort of thing anpearetl to be greying to, an farming extent m country districts, and certainly iwiiHi he dk-ceurr,jjcd. The sentence of the Court was th?t prisoner be kept to hard labour in the Terrace Gaol for two yeai,-. ALLEGED THEFT OF TOOLS. Gilbert Laarenson, who was defended by Dr. Findby, pleaded, Not Guilty to several charges of scaling carpenters' tools at Wellington in August last. Mr. T. L. Churchward was foreman of the jury. It was admitted by the defence that the goods were stolen, and the question at i:=uie was whether the prisoner was the man who pawned them at various pawnbrok?rs' establishments in Wellington. • The jury retired to consider its verdict at five minutes to 1 o'clock. Shortly p-fter 5 o'clock the jury brought , in a verdict of Kot Guilty, and accused was discharged. ALLEGED ASSAULT UPON A CHILD. Frederick Joseph, an Assyrian, pleaded 2a ol Guilty to a charge of improper relations with a child under the age of five years. Accused was defended by Dr. Fiadlay, Mr. H. D. Bell conducting the prosecution. Mr. H. S. Moore is foreman of the (Left Sitting.) (ny TEtTSGRArn — phess ajjsociation.j CHRIBTGHURCH, 15tb November. At the Supreme Court 1;o-day Thomas Mabin was charged wii/h libelling Thornhill Cooper. Both parties .are average adjusters, and the alleged libel was contained in a letter to a. firm of shipping* Ji^cnlr--. Accused conducted his own case. The jury re aimed a- vewlict of Guilty, with a recommend, i tioii to mercy on account of accused's age. His Honour asked if there Avas any friend of accused present ia Coui*t, as he had endeavoured to make the prisoner reaiiso his position, but had .Tailed, and he l^iK some reluctance in sending a inau of accused's age to gaol. Ultimately Li', Honour said he would deal v/iLh the p/isoner m the morning. In the ca?e of James Jcnnctt, charged with a criininu'i aspault on a young woman at Lakeside, the jury returned a verdict of Not Guilty. This Day. Thomas H. I\labin, who Avas found guilty yesterday of criaiinal libel, noAV said chat ho had decided to retract the statements made, apoiogise, and throw himself on the mercy of* the Court. The Crown Pre : 'ecluor was instructed to prepare a retraction to be signed by Mabin and published. Mabin was also bound over in his own bond not to repeat the oifence, rr he wounld be brought up for sentence ca the present charge. The case iigai'iat H. V. Styche for attempting to procure the murder of his wife has been yofc doAvn lor Monday.