THE COURTS-TO-DAY.

Evening Star, Issue 12882, 3 August 1906, Page 6

THE COURTS-TO-DAY.

CITY POLICE COURT,

(Before W. G. Riddell, Esq., S.M.)

Drunkenness. —A female first offender was fined 5s and costs, in default twenty-four hours' imprisonment. A man who had never answered to this charge previously was fined 10s, and ordered to pay 2s cab hire, in default forty-eight hours' imprisonment.

Obscene Language.—John Quin was charged with having ueed obscene language while drunk in the bar of the Douglas Hotel.—For being drunk ho was fined 10s, in default forty-eight hours; and on the charge of verbal oblcenity he was fined £3, hi default twenty-one days' imprisonment, with hard labor.

Theft.—William Booth alias Smith was charged with having, oil the 27th July, stolen one pair of boots, valued 9s 6d, the property of Joseph Mackay. He pleaded not guilty.—Chief-detective Herbert said that complainant had hung the boots in question on the outside of his shop door, and an hour or two later they were misted. Accused was subsequently arrested on another charge, and the boots were found in his possession. When charged with the theft he said he could easily prove where he bought and paid for the boots.—Evidence was given by James Collier and Act-ing-detective Hunt.—Accused; in reply to Hjs Worship, said be bought the boots from a man in the Octagon for 6s. The man told him he was hard up, and wanted to raise his fare to the South. • He had not seen the man since.—Accused was then charged with having, oh tbe 26th July, stolen a rug, valued at £2 2s, the property of Duthie Bros. To this charge he pleaded guilty.— Chief-detective Herbert said that accused bad been before the Court oh sixteen previous occasions, though not for theft.—The Bench . said ~ that on tho first charge accused would be convicted and fined £l, in default fourteen days' imprisonment; for the second offence he would be sentenced to one month's imprisonment with hard labor, the Fontences to run concurrently. Alexander Demons and Thomas Bushell were charged with having, oh the 26th July, ?tol<m lewt lqt" 1618 of pig iron, valued 10s, tie property, of Hessrs Cdss'ens and Black. Mr A. C. Hanioh appeared, for both accused, who pleaded guilty .—They were also charged with having. On trie lltn July, stolen 19cwt lqr 241b of pig iron, valued at £7, the property of Messrs Cossens aird Black.—-Mr Hanlon asked the Bench, in fixing a penalty, to take into consideration the fact that both these men were first offenders. Buehell was a widower with seven children ( while Deans was a married man with three ch'ldreu. Counsel could riot ask for the infliction of a very small penalty, but he asked the Court to niake the penalty as moderate ass poss : ble. He believed both defendants had received a lesson which would prove a salutary, one to tb^rri.—His Worship find both defendants 20s, in default fourteen days imprisonment, on the .first chiree. In to the Second offence; Bushel! was fined 40s and' costs, in default fori.fteeh da;fs' imprisonment, and Deans was fined £"5 and costs, in default one month's hard labor. Defendants were further ordered to return to a Mr Wihthropj who had purchased the iron from them, the sum of £2 2s 6d, and also to pay. witnesses' expenses, amounting tfci £2 14s. Breaches of the Licensing Act. —Mary Wackerley was charged with having been found ill illegal possession of beer while a prdhibiticm was in existence against her; Mr Hanlon appeared for defendant * and on Her behalf pleaded gtiiltt^—She was fined £2 and Costs (7s).^—Alice Cook,, similarly cilargedj pleaded riot guilty, arid was represented. by Mr B. S. irwin.— Station-sergeant King said thai defendant was found in a hotel tho other day in company with one Elizabeth Rackley, who was recently fined fol- a like; offence.—Evi;dence having been given, Mr Irwiri said that &© defence jeaa that, no notice of an.

order was ev# served 6h defendant; She was a married wbmari, and the applicatioii niarjf nave, been served rai her wiSbaad, wild may hav§ gone'to the Court arid obtained tri*> prbhibitidh brdcr. Defeiidafit denied beiiig" addicted to drink. The charge was a case" bl stHfce bn the part Of the Worship considered the facts proved, and there was no question regarding the existence of the Defendant wbilld be fitted JO2 arid costs (lis), with 5s -witness's expenses. The Street Football , Nuisdriee.—Two boys, George Martitt aM Nelisbh goliili, ;wexe charged wjth playing football in Walker street, to the annoyance of passers-by.—Station-sergeant King drew His Worship's attention. to the jfaci that tho Aet Made provision for the adboslng of a penalty not exceeding £lO. The polio© were doing, their best to dbtaih an abatement of this btit it seemed a difficult S sitter to suppress.—Mr Axelseri oh (half of the lads,, arid said hi? wopld kesp his eye on them in Mure.—His Worship sternly admonished the oftenderSj and dismissed theni with a catltibh, assuring th?m they would Bis severely dealt with 5 lliey camo bofore the *agairu (Left sitting.)