THE COURTS—TO-DAY

Evening Star, Issue 15187, 19 May 1913, Page 6

THE COURTS—TO-DAY

CITY POLICE COURT. (Before W. R. Hasdden, Esq., S.M.) Drunkenness.—A urai, uudi.u-.., uuu not appear, was fined 5s or 24 hours.— Eleanor Lane was convicted and discharged.—Hugh Ferguson Coulter, a prohibited person, was charged with drunkenness, and also with procuring liquor. He was convicted and discharged on the first charge, and fined 20s on the second.— Mary Jane Barry was charged with drunkenness, and also with importuning passers-by. She was convicted and discharged on the first charge, and sentenced to one month’s imprisonment on the second. Theft.—John Quigley was charged with stealing a razor valued at Bs, the property of John Muir. _He was further charged with stealing a silver-mounted flask valued at £2, the Property of Ebenezer Piper, and also with stealing a gold tie-pin valued at 20s, the property of Charles Reid. He pleaded guilty to the three charges.— Chief-detective Herbert said that accused belonged to Herbert, and when he came to town he stayed at the Provincial Hotel, and every time he left something was missed. The last theft was the razor, and it was traced to another hotel, where he was staying. On being bowled out over the razor he gave information which led to the recovery of the pin and the flask. They seemed to be somewhat clumsy thefts, from which he did not have much to gain._ Nothing was known against him.—His Worship sentenced accused to one month’s imprisonment on each charge, the sentences to be cumulative.

Prohibited.—Elizabeth Turnbull, a prohibited person, charged with procuring liquor, was fined 20s or seven days. By-law Cases.—For driving a motor car on the wrong side of the street Andrew Stuart was fined 20s and costs.—For riding a bicycle on a footpath Norman Hoggett (for whom Mr Scurr appeared), Hector Baker, and John Spence were each fined 5s and costs.—For allowing a horse to be at large Edward Frederick Lawrence was similarly dealt with.—William Falconer and John Aitcheson were charged with driving sheep along Cumberland street at a_ time other than after the hour of 10 o’clock p.m. and before 8 o’clock a.m. The defendants did not appear, and were each fined 20s and costs. The Defence Act.—John James Brown and George W. Brown, Senior Cadets, were charged with failing to render personal service. One of them said his clothes were too small.—His Worship said that that could be easily rectified. “Go,” said His Worship, “ and get your uniform, and attend to your duty, and become smart men, because everybody is getting very proud of the Territorials. I notice month by month they are looking better. They are throwing out their chests, and walk as if they owned the earth, or protected it at any rate. I will adjourn the cases for a month.”—William Taylor, another Senior Cadet, said he wished to be enrolled in the Territorials. His Worship ; “ Fake him and enrol him in the Territorials. I will adjourn the case for a month.”—Edward William Cleary pleaded that he had a bad leg. His Worship examined his leg, and, on his suggestion, the case was withdrawn.

“ Indecency and Abomination.”—Mark Chalmers, a youth, was charged with assaulting Elizabeth Gallon, and also with using obscene language in the Highcliff School Hall. Alr Hanlon defended.—The Sub-inspector said that on the 24th of April last a concert and dance were held in the Highcliff School Hall. The party broke up shortly after midnight, and when they were coming out of the building Chalmers took hold of the complainant, who was 18 year's of age, and after shaking her threw her down. He also used bad language.—The complainant stated that when she came out of the door accused knocked her down. He took hold of her by the arm and shoved her down. He used bad language. He had had a drink or two.—His Worship: “Did none of the other men go to take your part?”—Witness : “ George Osmond was going to.” Cross-examined : She never said anything when he caught her by the arm. She did not mind that. He pushed her outthrough the door. She did not have hold of Osmond's arm. She never had any words with Chalmers. She had never had a fall-out with him. She could give no reason for his conduct. Osmond told him to be careful what ho was doing. That was after they had left the hall and were proceeding to the gate. Osmond used an expression to accused, who then made a dive at him.—George Osmond said that the complainant walked eight or ten yards from the nail when accused knocked her down. She called on him for help, and he told Chalmers to leave her alone. He was going to help her up, but accused flew at him to fight. He heard no bad language until after the girl had left.— Thomas Cowie, a boy, said ho did not think it was Chalmers who caught hold of the girl It was a taller man. He caught hold of her, and she fell on her hands and knees.—This closed the case for the prosecutiop.—His- Worship said that the charges must fail. He thought it right to say it just lifted a corner of the veil which covered a great mass of indecency and abomination. They had just seen enough to know that it existed—young people behaving in a horrible way and using horrible language. If accused did not use the language, he had been charged with using it, and it made on© shudder when one thought of these young people, 18, 19, and 20 years of age, indulging in such language and in such thoughts.—Mr Hanlon ; “ In justice to the defendant ” —His Worship: “Tam not reflecting on the defendant fcny more than the others.” —Mr Hanlon : “ Quite apart from what the others have -been guilty of, on behalf of the defendant I wish to say that he strenuously denies that he touched the girl or used any bad language whatever. lie also denies that he was at the spot where the disturbance took place, and I have four witnesses who-are prepared to prove that he was innocent of the charges laid against him.”—His Worship: “If that iß°true, then the other side deserve the remark.”— The charges were dismissed.