Supreme Court.

Gisborne Times, Volume VI, Issue 204, 4 September 1901, Page 3

Supreme Court.

By Telegraph—Press Association, Invercargill, last night. The Supreme Court sittings opened today before Judge Denniston, who remarked that the calendar was somewhat lengthy. Referring to the charge against four young men of forging and uttsring counterfeit coin, His Honor said they had evidently made them to test their skill as moulders, and one of their nunqhcr used them. Funi Vincen;o pleaded guilty to stabbing, with intent, and was sentenced to four months’ imprisonment. W. K. G. Hay, a married man, pleaded guilty to arson at Orepuki, and also to stealing a safe and contents from the Mataura Post Office in 1594. He was sentenced to 12 months' for arson, and 18 months’ for robbery, the sentences to be cumulative,

DRUNKENNESS A GOOD EXCUSE FOB ARSON.

(By Telegraph—Press Association.) Invercargill, last night,

At the Supreme Court this afternoon a young man (aged 191, charged with stealing a bicycle purohased on the hire system, was acquitted, His Honor summing up strongly in his favor. The lad had fallen out with his parents and left home. He was arrested in the North Island with the machine still in his possession,’ although he had suffered a’ good deal of privation,' He had also apprised the vendor that he was leaving the district, and would send instalments when able. A. L. Cheyne, charged with setting fire to a billiard-room attached to an hotel at Arrowtown, was acquitted, Accused was drunk, and had been using turpentine. It was afterwards found that the room was on fire, and Cheyne was standing looking at the flames. The fire was quenched, and accused said it was caused by his striking a match on the wall. To show this, he again lighted a match, the wall flared up. On examination it was found that the wall was covered with turpentine, His Honor said that if accused was so drunk as not to know what he was doing he would not be guilty, having no evil intention, and being unconscious of the cgcct of the act.