CRIMINAL SITTINGS

Evening Star, Issue 16347, 13 February 1917, Page 4

CRIMINAL SITTINGS

DUNEDIN,

In the Supreme Court to-day (Mr Justice Sim presiding) the grand jury returned true bills in all the cases submitted to them. In that of Jean Tobin the bill, as retruned, applied to the theft of £5. —Two Women Sentenced.—

June Hughes (53 and Ethel Eadie (35) pleaded guilty to using an instrument for an unlawful purpose, and were each sentenced to, six months’ imprisonment. g— — Thomas Tail was charged with forging a letter dated September 27 purporting to be signed by one A. Parkcs. There was a second count of attempting to cause Hie editor of the ‘ Otago Daily tj °i 3 ac * > . ll P on Ihe letter as if it had been genuine. Mr Lee, of Oamaru, appeared lor accused, who pleaded not guilty. Mr W. C. MacGregor, K.C. (Clown Prosecutor), said that accused lived at Hampden. On September 27 he wrote a letter to the editor of the ‘ Times ’ concerning a returned soldier, but' the iottor, although "written by accused, was not signed by him in Ins own name, but in the name of “A. Parkes, Hampden,” ana was intended by accused to ho published as a genuine letter from Parkes. U was evident from the tone op the letter that accused had some dislike for a leturned soldier, and asked questions in t. ip. letter for the purpose of seeing the soldier s na.mo in iho Press and in the name of Parkes. It was obvious that it was maliciously put, and would have reflected gravely on the soldier, and might nave involved the newspaper in a libel action. the editor wrote to Mr Parkes pointing out certain matters in connection with the statements. Mr Parkes could no understand what it was about, and as a result of his reply to (he editor the matter was put in the hands of the police.—Evidence was given by Albert Parkes and .Detective Kemp.—Accused gave evidence that certain statements were going about in regard to a returned soldier. He did not believe then', and wanted them substantiated. The staicnients in the letter were not his own: they were the statements going about) He ''ranted the letter signed “Deceit,” not larkes.” He supposed he really intended to mislead the editor. His intention was to clear nn matters in the interests of the soldier.—Mr Lee asked the jury not to record a conviction for forD ■ The. Grown Prosecutor expressed t,lat accll!?ed !i;k ' not " pleaded

On resuming after lunch His |], m o r summed up. Me said accused admitted that he. intended the letter should be nub Imbed in the paper. Whether that hiorg.it the. matter within the meaning of the Act was the, only point on which the jury could have any donht at all. F 0 tar as the question of motive was concerned, that did not mailer in the least. It was, of course, open to the jury to make any recommendation they liked.'The more fa. t that it was not a. serious case, or that it struck them as trivial, was not a reason for not convicting accused.-—The Jurv retired at 2,10. and returned in half an hour with a verdict of “ Guilty.”—His Honor said it was really an act of foolishness on (he part of ‘the prisoner. Me would he lined £9. the costs of the prosecution. —A Plea of Guilty.— John Blake and John Kean were charged with, at Berwick, attempting to supply a noxious thing to Violet Buhy Blake. They pleaded, guilty, Mr Hanlon apnearnig for Blake and Mr Scurr for Kean.— Mr Hanlon said that Blake provided the money for the medicine. He was 76 years of age. and had been in Xew Zealand for over 40 years, .luring which time he had borne an excellent character. His wife lan away from him with another man over 12 years ago. Kean, who was not interested m the matter, got the medicine, did )io harm. It was a very hard case tor the old man. He was ignorant, and had worked hard for his children all Ins days—Mr Bcurr said that Kean was 2o years of age, and had hitherto had a good record. He was living quite hapnilv wit.i his v.-ifo at Berwick. It was erd'v alter persuasion on the part, of the old man, who hurst into tears, that he aimed to go to Dunedin and purchase something lor him. Accused had now enlisted for service, at the front.—His Honor ordered the prisoners to come up for sentence when called upon within the nest thro© years. They wore also ordered to pay the costs of the prosecution (£l6 Us) between thorn, —An Old Man Charged.— Robert. M“Hood, who was undefended, pleaded, not guilty to uvo charges of in-•oocw-iip assault.—The case was nnu cediim at e mm. ' ’ CHRISTCHURCH. In sentencing John Henry Theodor© £6) for attempted serious assault, Judge Dennkston said the accused was of a low type of character, and was unfit to be at large. His act showed that prisoner was capable of any atrocity. The Judies of the Dominion looked on punishment in ouch eases not merely as a penalty, hut as a piotrctien to society, lip was sentenced to three months’ imprisonment. In the case of fiamuei Kills, charge,:! with assault, with intent to do bodily harm, it was admitted that prist tier was of hasty temper. He was sentenced to tlncu months’ imprisonment.