SUPREME COURT. CRIMINAL SESSIONS.

Evening Post, Volume LXXIX, Issue 118, 21 May 1910, Page 6

SUPREME COURT. CRIMINAL SESSIONS.

PRISONERS SENTENCED. The crimiital sessions of the Supreme Jourt were continued before his Honour the Chief Justice to-day. FORGERY. Herbert Bridgo Thornton Sherman, «*ho had pleaded guilty to forgery and ottering at Wanganui, was sentenced to three months' imprisonment, sentence to run coneurrntly with terms which prisoner is already serving. His Honour said that all tho offences appeared to have been committed about the same time. Douglas Leighton, alias Douglas Stirling, alias Oscar Fairey, was also sentenced to three mouths' imprisonment for forgery and uttering at Napier. Prisoner at the present time is serving a term in gaol, and his Honour ordered that the sentence now imposed should be concurrent. Both the prisoners were men of about 22 years of age. ALLEGED ASSAULT WITH INTENT TO ROB. Edward Wilfred Kelly and Alexander Driscoll were charged with, on 26th April last, assaulting one George M'Alister, with intent to rob him. Mr. Myers prosecuted, and the accused, who pleaded not guilty, were defended by MrHeTdman. George M'Alister said he was employed" as a driver at the Nag s Head stables (at the rear of the Alhambra Hotel). On 26th April last, when he (witness) was going inside the stable gates, Kelly came along, put his hands on witness's shoulders, asked'for 6d, and grabbed witness by the throat, when he was informed that he (witness) had no money. Kelly called Driscoll, and urged him to "Dive wtlling !" Witness had no money. The accused went through his pockets, and were searching 'when a man named Burt came out of the stable, and the accused decamped. Witness went to the Man-ners-street Police Station and made a complaint. Cross-examined : Witness had known Kelly for about three months or more prior to the occurrence. It was not a fact that Kelly had bought witness drinks and meals. » Nor was it a fact that he had been speaking disparagingly to' a person called "Scotty Bob" about Kelly. It was not a fact that witness simply had a fight with the accused. As far as he rould see, they were not drortk. { Timothy o'Gor.inan, driver, employed at the Nag's Head stables, corroborated M'Alister's story in the main. Alexander Burt, laitourer, Cornelius iWhelan, and Detective Hammond also gave evidence. The latter said that when he arrested the accused Kelly made no reply, and Driscoll said he knew nothing about it ; that he was not there. This was the case for the Crown. Kelly gave evidence on his own behalf. He said he had been working on a flaxmill. On the 26th ho caught M'Alister, and asked him what he had been saying about him, and then punched him. He then went after O 'Gorman. He denied that ho had attempted to rob M'Alister. Driscoll told a similar story. In cross-examination by Mr. Myers the •ccused admitted he had been previously convicted of theft. After a retirement of half an- hour the jury returned a verdict of guilty. Sentence jvas deferred until Monday mom-> mgA MISSING WATCH. James Guxnmings and John Fcnnessy jraere charged with having assaulted John Joseph. Patterson and robbed him. of a silver watch. The prisoners, who ple.ided not guilty, were defended by Mr. R. H. Webb. In this case it was shown by the evidence for the prosecution that the offence was allegedly committed on the night of 13th March. Patterson stated that he had been knocked down by two men at the intersection of Hunter and Featherston streets. When he got up ho found that his watch had gone. A couple of days later the accused called at Smart's pawnbroking shop and asked for an advance on a watch. Smart had preTiousry received a warning notice from the police concerning this and other watches, and he told the accused that the watch had been reported as slolen. Fennessy said he had got the watch from Gnmmings to sell. The accused gave fictitious names. The accused gave evidence on their own behalf. Their story wt>s that a man had come on board their ship and wanted to sell a watch. Eventually, Cummins said, he gave his own wa.Lch and 4s in exchange for the one which had allegedly been stolen. After a retirement of a few minutes the jury returned with a verdict of guilty. Sentence was deferred till Monday. The court then adjourned until 10.30 a.m. on Monday. The , charge of murder against Robert Corkill will be proceeded with on Monday.