FIELDING R. M. COURT.

Feilding Star, Volume III, Issue 26, 13 September 1882, Page 3

FIELDING R. M. COURT.

Sattjbday, September 9, 18 J 2. .(Before Fbank Lethbbidge, Esq . J.P.) This was a case of larceny of a watch, heard in. Wellington. • Mary Ann "Walters was charged by R. Belfit with gtealing'a watch valued at £5 los. Mr' Prior appeared for prisoner. The evidence taken at Wellington was read by t!:e ( lerk-to-fche Bench. Mr Prior applied for a'remand, but the police objected., James Hugh deposed : He sold a gold -Watch ,to Miss Smith, now >Mrs Belfit ; identified the watch produced ; Mrs Belfit reporter! to him the loss of the watch ; M rs Belfit saidher watch had disappeared; gave her a written description of the watch. Ropert, Be_ fit deposed : r His, wife, pos-: •sesf ed a 1 fedltl Vratch ; she reported she had lost ,iV last • month ; / did not see accused near his 'place? on or about the t'iuie; identified the watch now produced. Cfoss-e. ammed-: ,r Did[ not remember the exact time the watch was lost ; wife was looking into the case for tho watch and missed it; wife used to wear the watch ; there was no chain to the watch when he lost it. no ribbon was on it; took the ohain off nherr the watch was put iv the ease; said somebody musif have taken it ; prisoner was a stranger to him ; came Jo Haybittle's. store with" prisoner ; was the first time prisoner _vas on his premises ;, his wife. had sonic books of prisonor's'; witness said he could read when he liked j knew tliey were prisoner's book£ ; knew she had been in his,h p.se. Mi_T3el fit' deposed: Shb was the wife of last /witness i knew tlie; accused ; -she was in Jier house on the 9th of last month < August) ;• she loft bhe same -.day ; was •the owner of a gold watch' ; wore it Ist on the Stli of August ; have not seeii,il^e watcli since; '-identified the watch; _iisse*l ft on" the Tuesday following; when she rois-ved the waich. she: wbnt to Mr Hugh, and askfed for the number of. it ; then reported the master to. : lhe police ;np person had been in the house, except accused. ;_.<jjd. not tell, accused she would I'dri'd 6r let her, tkk-e the watch. , At this point the information taken today was"wi'thclrawn, and' ike case proceeded Tvithon the information taken in "Wellingtons ' ' _ o Mfc£rioi< submitted.; that, the prisoner bad never been charged. r Mrs Belfit wps, in .ths habit gf wearing the.' watch ; .did not see it fromthe'Tuesday to 'Ihnrsdpy "; w,ent; to' Palmerston and returned 1 on. Monday;, rib one had been in the house when she was away; prisoner '<his\ been ! twice to her house; prisoner; trimmed, ii hat. in her. premises, . and went info the taedcoomi to put it on ; did not" offer to lend the watch ; do not remember aecpsed/sayipg she had not a waich ; dTil hot sayVshe did riot wish her husband to kppw about, it ; ber^i.nsband Was ahgryVhcn he fpunM the watch was lost ; went to lalmerstoh on a visit ; did not w4ar-th«_ wai'diibccauseklle forgot it. Wnv Campb<?ll» del. & pojiec-const. at Wellington; escorted' prisoner fronf Foxton 40 rJF^iljding-.;; /rffc ..Aorangi station prosecutor entered the same railway carriage ih 'which' heP'Was travelling with ! prisoner; when she. entered the carriage ' prisoner, inputs towards • her>, .Mrs Jielfifc ' said '*' Ajn't,ypu - , sneak , to, h a 7P served. ! tne like tjjis after, what I hare done for you." Prisoner said, '' D(?n t speak too ' I oud, that's \\ "detective there';" ' prosecutor ( said she didn't care, it served her right; ; prisoner said", she .pnly took . the watph,in fun. '•' r - * v \f { - !•" / .'8 ' Cross-examined **It was on the <yn.t- ( form bje objected, to, private conversation;. ' still adhered' to' 'his Wellington' fule\« ;' prisoner was very talkative ; never questioned i«ri "4fri.ee' jbey arretted- her jl -cautioned her in the usual way when he arrested her; the p^wnbr^kpr was present -when he arrested her; she said Mrs .Belfit had lent her the jtatch. Mr Prior asked for a remand till TvTfedflesdajy!, whfcUlwds granted.. 1 :t ! :