THE COURTS—TO-DAY.

Evening Star, Issue 14315, 14 March 1910, Page 6

THE COURTS—TO-DAY.

SUPREME COURT.—CRIMINAL. (Before His Honor Mr Justice Williams.) SENTENCES. Oscar Stra.ngeb.ye, convicted of breaking and entering and theft at Dunedin, was. sentenced to six months’ imprisonment. Martha Basaii, whose offences consisted of six cass of theft from dwellings and two cases of housebreaking, was sentenced to twelve months’ imprisonment on each, charge, the sentences to run concurrently, and on. the charge of breaking into Mr Louis Morris’s house she was ordered to be detained as a habitual criminal. IN BANCO. NICOLSON V. SCANDINAVIAN WATER RACK COMPANY. An appeal by way of rehearing from a decision by Mr Bartholomew, warden, refusing an application by Sabina. Margaret Nicblson, of St. Bathans, for an acre in the special claim now being worked bv the company. ’Mr Adams and Mr Davey for the appejt lant: Mr W. C. MacGregor and Mr Gilkison for the company. This case was heard on the 22nd, 25rd, and 24th of last month. To-day His Honor gave his judgment. The full text is not yet typed from the draft. His Honor said in conclusion, that looking at the whole of the circumstances, lie was satisfied that it would be improper to grant the application. The appeal would be dismissed, with forty guineas costs, witnesses’ expenses, and d isbursoments to bo settled, by the Registrar. IN CHAMBERS. Probate has been granted by Mr Justice Williams in re Mary Duncan (Mr Grigor), Patrick Russell (Mr Hanlon), Thos. J. Hansford (Mr Platts), James Truesdalo (Mr Callan), Alex. Fleming (Mr Webb), John Adamson (Mr Grave), and Lillias Jack (Mr Callan). Letters of administration have been issued to George Wilson (Mr Tail) and Alexander French (Mr Newton). Re William Michie.—Motion for executors’ remuneration (Mr Calvert). —Referred to Registrar. Re Ann Forsyth.—Motion to confirm Registrar’s report (Mr J. MacGregor).— Report confirmed; remuneration accordingly. Rc John Richard Morris.—Motion for, dale for creditors’ claim (Mr Finch).—■> Order as prayed. : Re Robert. Logan.—Petition for substitution of property for share in estate (Mr Bundle). —Accordingly. CITY POLICE COURT. (Before J. R. Bartholomew, Eeq., S.M.) > Drunkenness.—Clara Dodsworth (elderly, and just out of prison after a twelve, mouths’ sentence) was fined ss, in default twenty-four Irours’ imprisonment;' William Carroll and three first offenders were similarly punished; and in regard to three men who did not appear—Charles Hemsley, Frank Martin Anderson, and a (list offender—each was fined 10s, tho amount of his bail. Housebreaking.—Reginald Lawson and Anthony Robert Anderson were again brought before the Court, charged that oa the 27th December, at Mornington, thej •broke and entered the dwelling of Margaret M ‘Keown and stole goods to the value of £7 14s.—Chief-detective Herbert said that when the accused were before tho Court on the last occasion they were remanded, so that full inquiries could be made as to the extent of their depredations, and in older that the missing property might be traced. During the week several other cases of 'housebreaking had come to light, and the property stolen was not recovered. He would therefore ask for a further remand, so as to be able to lay the whole facts before the Court at the one sitting, when the cases came on for hearing.—His Worship granted an adjournment till this day week.—Mr D. D. Macdonald applied for bail. Tho Court allowed Anderson the same bail as before, two sureties of £25 each, and Lawsen was granted bail in two sureties of £SO each. The difference in amount was because Anderson is a boy and Lawson a man. Breach of Prohibition.—Arthur Patrick M’Kay was charged with accompanying a prohibited person into the Law Courts Hotel.—Sub-inspector PhaSr asked for an adjournment so as to procure the attendance of Walter Begg Cnmmock, who was charged with the offence of entering the hotel. It was stated that Mr Scantlebury did not object to the adjournment.—Adjourned to tho 25rd inst. Indecency.—William Egan pleaded not guilty to a’charge of behaving in a grossly indecent manner at Mosgiel railway station ou the 251h February. The case had been adjourned until to-day in order to procure the evidence of Ernest O’Neill, circus proprietor.—His Worship found the facts proved, and, remarking that it was a most disgusting ease, he sentenced Egan to three months’ imprisonment. Egan came hero from Australia about eight months ago.The Chief Detective said that nothing was known of him by the police except that he was charged with stealing a tent. A Circus Dummy’s Error.—Egan w as further charged that on or about the 51st January last he stole a tent valued at £6. —Ernest O’Neil] said that on the 30lh January he disbanded his circus company at Dunedin and left part of the tent gear packed up on the ground for a couple of days. When the carrier went for the things some were missing, amongst them the tent produced, which was not witness’s property, but a hired tent, that fact causing the trouble.—Percival H. Moody, hairdresser, said that, on the 10th February he bought this tent from accused, paying £l.—Detective Mitchell said that when he charged Egan the latter said that he look a tent because O'Neill owed him money, and sold it to Moody for £l. —The Chief Detective: In justice to the accused, for whatever it is worth, tell the Court, if it is the case, that accused himself gave the information as to where tho tent was.—Detective Mitchell: That is so. —The Chief Detective: And you had no idea until then where the tent was! — Detective Mitchell: I had not. —Accused, giving evidence on hie own behalf, said that, as he told the police, he confiscated the tent for wages duo, £ll 15s lid. He had to do it. He was starving, and had not sixpence in his pocket. Someone whom he took for a policeman told him in the Grand Hotel that he could take the tent for wages.—The Chief Detective: And that policeman might have been a bookmaker.—Accused did not contradict.—Mr O’Neill denied that ho owed accused anything.—His Worship sentenced accused to one month’s imprisonment, this sentence to run concurrently with the other sentence. —The Chief Detective asked for an order that tho tent go to Mr Moody. Mr O’Neill had taken no stops for several weeks, whereas Mr Moody had done all he could, and it would be hard lines if a respectable business man should lose hie money in the circumstances. —Ills Worship : I make no order. You can -return the property to the man you got it from.