POLICE COURT

Evening Star, Issue 17542, 23 December 1920, Page 9

POLICE COURT

(Before Mr J. R. Bartholomew, S.M.) Thursday,. December 23. charge (Inciting. The hearing of the charge against John O’Keefe of inciting John Frederick Hammerly to resist Sergeant Scandrett and Constable Peters was continued. The case os to the identity of accused practically depended on whether he was wearing a white vest with black spots or a cardigan jacket on the night of the alleged offence, which arose out of a disturbance in Maclaggan street when Hammerly was arrested. Mr Irwin' (for accused) called evidence. Frank Osberg, porter at the Wharf Hotel, said that accused had been staying at the hotel for the last fourteen weeks. He had never seen him wearing a white or fancy vest. John Prehdergast, seaman, said that ho had known accused for about three months, during which time he had never seen him wearing a white vest with black spots. John Broughton said that ho saw accused in a shooting gallery in the -Arcade on the night in question. Ho was then wea'ring a cardigan jacket. Alfred Thomson and Thomas Mitchell also gave evidence. . His Worship said that he would reserve 1 his decision until the appeal in the Haminerly cases was decided. The case would be adjourned until the 25th of Februarynext, and accused would be ordered to for his appearance on that date. OTHER CASES. Philip Connell was fined 10s, In default lorty-eight hours’ imprisonment, for drunkenness. For leaving a motor car unlighted in George street Thomas M‘Gibbon was fined os and costs (7s). (Before Mr A. M. IMowlem.) POSING AS CHAMPION BOXER. Falsely representing himself as Gunn, i professional light-weight boxer, of Pimaru, Robert M‘Laohlan obtained on the | 7th mst., a sling bandage, valued at 10s from George David Cox, who has an-arti-ficial limb business in Hanover street. IPLachlan went to Cox, saying he had been sent by Z\lr Divers, secretary of the Boxing Association. It was subsequently 1 ascertained that he was not Gunn, and he I was arrested by Detective Dean. While ! being conveyed to the station accused bolted, and was not recaptured until two or three days later.—The Chief Detective described M ‘Lachlan as a veung man’who _ did not like work. Ho frequented race- ■ courses, and acted in a suspicious manner. He was known, to have taken down innocent people on the course (there were a ; innocent people who attended races, remarked the chief detective), who gave him money to put on the totalisator for them. Ha had been previously convicted for theft in Petone and in Christchurch. Accused pleaded guilty, stating that he was _ drunk at the time. Since his war ! service a very little drink affected him. Ho asked for a chance, and offered to take out a prohibition order. The Magistrate: If drink is your besetting sin, it is up to you to put the peg m and stop it. Accused was sentenced to fourteen, days’ imprisonment.

SHEAF OF .VALUELESS CHEQUES. ±! out charges of obtaining money by means of valueless cheques were preferred against William Joseph O’Dwyer. The amounts involved were £ls from Walter Pearson, £lO from Bernard James O'Grady, and two of £2O each from Samuel Dunn. All the cheques were drawn on the National Bank of New Zealand, Palmerston North. Mr C. J. L. White appeared for accused. Walter Pearson, a tailor and clothier, of George street, said accused called into his shop, addressed him by his Christian name, and asked if he would cash a cheque for £ls. Witness said he could not. Accused then began to talk of Timant and ! people there whom witness knew, stating | that ho was in the fish business in Pnli merstou North. “ Fred Wall, an old Timaru boy in the City Boot Palace, told me to come and see you,” said O’Dwyer, adding that Geddes, of the Gridiron, usually cashed his cheques for him. Witness subj sequentty told accused to come back at 5 j o’clock, and he then gave him an exchange ; cheque for the amount, j Samuel Dunn, licensee of the City Hotel, 1 told how accused had asked him,' on the morning,of the 14th {a race day), to cash a cheque for £2O, which he did. Two days later he performed the same service .for accused.

i Bernard O’Grady, a fishmonger in Hat- | tray street, who- was also visited by acI cased on a similar mission, said he first : declined to cash the cheque ; but O’Dwyer i asked if he would do so bn the recom- ; mendation of a mutual friend named Perry. On Perry expressing the opinion that O'Dwyer's financial position was all I right witness cashed the cheque. J Robert George Lyon, ledgerkeeper at | the ‘National Bank, Palmerston North I said that accused opened an account tiSi-rc jin September last, depositing £5 7s. A j few days later he deposited a further sum I of £4 5s 3d ; but a cheque for £5 drawn on the account- reduced accused's balance to £2 12s 3d. at which it still stood. Witj n-css produced a. list of twenty-five value - ; less cheques signed by accused and dishonored at the bank, between September 23 and No\;ember 10, the total amount inj voiced being £345 18s 6d. Detective Lean deposed that accused in ! an unsigned statement said that when he j left Palmerston North in September be | was aware that he had only £7 12s 5d ’ to his credit at the bank, but at the time he presented the cheques in Dunedin he did so in good faith, hping under the impression that a- sum of money which he had deposited on a fish business in Hastevton had 1 been paid in to his credit j owing to the lease of the premises not being granted to him. j Accused reserved his defence, and was | committed to the Supreme Court for trial. , O’Dwyer was further charged with re- ; ceiving £lO by means of a valueless ! cheque at Auckland, and was remanded to j appear in that city on Thursday next. | The Chief Detective remarked that Released had also been committed for trial . for similar offences at Christchurch. CAUGHT IN THE ACT.

Harold Henry Williams, who had previously pleaded guilty to charges of theft from Braithwaites’ and Stark's and using obscene language, was further charged with attempting to break and enter by day the premises of Kilroy and Sutherland, drapers, with intent to commit a crime therein. I Evidence by Henry Albert 'White, a [chemist’s assistant, was to the effect that while coming to town in a tramcar about } 7 p.m. on the 4th inst. he saw a man apparently tampering with the lock of one of Kilroy and Sutherland’s doors. When the tram stopped witness saw the man slip into his pocket a bright insttument, which slipped down his trousers on to the ground. Witness had the matter reported to the police. Constable Hannifan, who went to investigate, said that when told he was liable to arrest accused asked for a couple of hours to get away to a farm on which he was working. Detective Palmer read a statement by accused, who said he came from Tasmania some time ago and had been drinking. He admitted breaking the lock of the door with a bicycle spanner, but added that he was drunk at the time. Formal evidence was given by Hugh Brown that the doors were firmly secured and- that the padlock had been broken. Accused pleaded guilty, and was committed to the Supreme Court for sentence. On each of the charges of theft he was Shed 20s, in default seven days, and on the charge of obscene la'age was sentenced to one month’s impasonment.