RESIDENT MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

Lyttelton Times, Volume I, Issue 19, 17 May 1851, Page 4

RESIDENT MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

May 12, 1851. Adam Johnson, and John Burgess,,_ late privates of H.M. 65th Regt., were charged with violently assaulting James Barman on the Sumner Road, and stealing from him the sum of 17s. 6d. James Barman deposed as follows : I was going home along the Sumner road about half past six. The two prisoners came up ; Johnson came to me and said, " Here's Barman," and put his hand to my pocket, but took nothing out; I walked on about a dozen yards, both prisoners followed ; Johnson came behind me and knocked me down with a blow and a kick. Johnson put his knee on my stomach while Burgess took the money out of my pocket. Johnson said, " Shall I throw him down the hill ;" Burgess said " No." Both then went away; that night I slept as usual in the same whare with both the prisoners ; I did not dare leave them to give information, lest they should follow me ; I had been drinking that night, but was not drunk; . had not spoken to any one since I left Crawford's, f where I had been drinking, I had treated Johnson j that evening. I was quarrelling with a man in town that evening, but did not raise a hand against him. The money that the prisoners took was six halfcrowns, two shillings and sixpence. I had counted my money not long before. Hugh Bracken, Richard Taylor, and Peter Cam-

eron corroborated various parts of the complainant's evidence. Johnson in his defence stated that Barman was very drunk that evening, and commenced the assault upon them on the Sumner road, that Barman had been fighting before that in the town. He could procure no witness to confirm his statements. Both prisoners were fully committed.