THE COURTS—TO-DAY.

Evening Star, Issue 8717, 8 January 1892, Page 2

THE COURTS—TO-DAY.

CITY POLICE COURT.

(Before Messrs R. Rutherford and J, T. Ross, J.P.e.)

Drunkenness. — Peter Sneddon was convicted and discharged. Alleged Pocket-picking.— Oollins Moore was charged with, on the 2nd of January, at the Caledonian Oames, attempting to steal from the person of Margaret Meikle a purse containing 12a in money.—Detective Henderson conducted the prosecution, and Mr Macdonald appeared for the accused, who pleaded not guilty. Detective Henderson stated that shortly after three o’clock on Saturday Mrs Meikle was standing near the grand stand among a crowd of people, when on suddenly putting her hand down to her pocket she found that the accused had his band in it. Mrs Meikle jammed the hand into her pocket, so that he bad difficulty in getting it out. The accused afterwards stood among a crowd who were looking at a machine for testing the strength of the arm, and while here Mrs Meikle had a good look at him. She spoke of the matter to her friends, who brought it under the notice of the police. An effort was then made to find the man on the grounds, but he was not seen until about five or half-past five o’clock, when Mrs Meikle was on the Main road waiting for a tram, where she saw the accused and another man. The appearance of the man who attempted to pick her pocket was very forcibly impressed on Mrs Meikle, and she bad no difficulty in describing his clothes.—Mr Macdonald: That is not evidence.—Detective Henderson said it was ad- . missible for him to say that Mis Meikle could describe the clothes the man wore. On Wednesday night Mrs Meikle accompanied the detectives to the railway station, where numerous pockets had been picked, and the accused and another were seen there. When the accused was apprehended he gave his name as Collins, and subsequently he said it was Collins Moore. Since he was arrested the man who was with him on the main road had not been seen. The accused’s portmanteau had been searched, and there was found fn it numerous papers and billheads which showed that he had several names, such as Macdonald, Howard, and others. Mr Macdonald; That is not evidence that this man ia Macdonald at all.—Detective Henderson also said that the boxes and Scrtmanteaux this man had in bis room at era’s Hotel had the labels and address torn off them.—Mr Macdonald: Because the man tears the address off bis portmanteau the police say be has stolen 12s from a woman. That ia police logic, if you like. If you go down to my house you will find a portmanteau with the label torn off, and therefore I must have stolen the money from Mrs Meikle.—Margaret Meikle, wife of Robert Meikle, said in her evidence that she could not swear that the man’s hand was in her pocket. She felt that there was '* something wrong ” when she was in the crowd, and she felt the accused’s hand near her pocket. She was sure that the accused was the man.—Benjamin Bern, licensee of the Terminus Hotel, said that the accused was entered in the hotel books in the name of George Moore. To Mr Macdonald : Accused was a respectable young fellow, as far as witness know, and witness was surSirised to hear that he bad been coked up. Witness saw accused in the commercial room, lying on the sofs, at half-past two on Saturday afternoon.—Detective M'Gratb said that when accused was seen on the station he was spoken to, and he denied that he bad been on the Caledonian Ground, and added that he did not know where the grounds were.— Mr Macdonald submitted that the police had failed in their case. The gLt of it was that there was an attempt to rob. According to Mrs Meikle’s evidence she rubbed hands wi|h somebody, and she thought it was this man's hand. On that ground alone the case failed. Besides that, there was a man in Court who could prove that tbeaooused was in Bern’s Hotel at a quarter to four.—After a short consultation, Mr Rutherford said: The Bench agree that there is no evidence to prove an attempt, The circumstances might have been more or less suspicious, but that is different from convincing us that this young man was absolutely guilty of putting his hand into the pocket to steal, Therefore the case is dismissed.—(Applause from the body of the Court,) Chimney on Fire.— John Young , for allowing the chimney of his bouse in Moray place to catch fire on the 29th December, was fined'tts 'fid. ' Breads of the Peace —Richard King was charged with, on the 2(Hh December, behaving in a manner whereby a breach of the peace was occasioned in King street.— Sergeant-major Beviu said that King had been drinking heavily of late, and through the effects of the liquor his mind had become unhinged. He (the speaker) would therefore ask for a remand until next Friday.—The remand was granted accordingly. Wandering Horses. William George was charged with allowing two horses to wander in St. Kilda, and was fined 2s fid. Travellin.q Lights —Edward Ooodchild was fined 2s fid for trave)l{hg in bt, Kilda with no lights affixed to his vehicle, Family Quabbru.— Clara Grace Stock charged Henry Constable Parnell with, on the Ist December, and on subsequent dates, using Insulting language to her, wherefore she prayed for sureties of the peace,—Mr Adams appeared for the complainant, and Mr Hanlon for the defendant.—The com-. Slainant, who resides in Graham street, ! onto Dunedin, said the defendant was her father, ff e had spveraj times threatened to kill iffir, wd op,e‘ 4gy had to look; herself fo hope from .‘‘hf#/—Louisa Parnell and Harry Sjtogk also gavp evidence.. —Mr Hanlon said he would not call any evidence. He submitted that the case was not oß*da which the man should be bound over tlnteep the peace, for if he could get no sureties it simply meant that be .would have to go to gaol.—The Bench decided to bind Hie accused over to keep the pegpe for three months without sureties, and in doing so they stated .that the accused's conduct was snob that it oonfd not be tolerated,'— wp to pay 17s'jSd costs.,