RESIDENT MAGISTRATES' COURT.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XXI, Issue 1190, 30 January 1864, Page 5

RESIDENT MAGISTRATES' COURT.

CHRTSTCHURCH.—Thursday, January 28. (Before Joseph Brittan, Esq., R.M.) AGGRAVATED ASSAULT. Patrick Flaherty, John Forde, and Michael Forde, were brought up on remand, charged with this offence. Mr. Moorhouse appeared on behalf of the prisoners. Dr. Prins having certified that Henry Free, a principal witness in this case, was unable to attend, the further hearing of the charge was adjourned until Monday, the Ist February. Friday, 29th January. (Before Joseph Brittan, Esq., R.M.) ROBBERY OF THE COINS, ETC., FROM THE WESLEYAN CHURCH. James McCosker, the brother of the contractor for the erection of this church, was charged with larceny, under the following circumstances. Mr. P. Cowlishaw stated that he was one of the trustees of the new Wesley an Church. The corner stone of that building had been placed on Thursday last. A glass bottle had been placed in the church, containing a parchment deed, copies of the local journals, and some coins, including a sovereign and some silver and copper money. The above were the property of the trustees. He identified the parchment now produced, but could not do so with regard to the coins. The amount was about £2. The corner-stone had been removed. Artemas Candy was called, and stated that he was a clothier residing at Christchurch. He had seen the corner stone placed on one of the buttresses of the new Wesleyan Church. On Thursday night he was passing near the building about 12 p.m. in company with a friend, and went with him to look at the church. On examining the walls, he found that the stone had been removed, and the glass bottle abstracted from the cavity in which it had been placed. He looked round and saw the prisoner standing near, and having placed his hands upon htm, found the bottle in his possession. Witness took the bottle, and placed it in his pocket. The friend who was with him helped him to secure the prisoner. They called for assistance, and Mr. McCosker, the contractor, came up. and recognising the prisoner, asked witness to release him. He refused to do so, but went and informed Mr. Turner of the circumstances, who advised him to communicate with the police. Witness did so, and returned to the spot in company with Constable Wells. Ibe prisoner was then found to be the brother of i. McCosker. In the struggle, the bottle which was in witness's pocket was broken. Witness gave the document, &c., to Mr. Turner. Witness went to the lock-up with the view of rendering assistance to the constable who had arrested the prisoner in a fowl-house. On the way thither, the prisoner, who in the meantime had changed his dress, confessed his guilt and expressed his contrition, vvitnes asked the prisoner if all the coins were there. He replied that he would show them. They returned, and in a tussock bush near Durham sticct he showed them the parchment, deed m winch to coins were wrapped, lie was then conveyed to the Constable Wells having corroborated the evidence of the previous witness, . .. , The Resident Magistrate asked the pnsonci had any defence to make. ~ , v n,.,t ho The prisoner confessed his guilt, adding was intoxicated at the time. , , The Resident Magistrate observed that lie nod been guilty of a very serious offence, the p i - ment for which would be imprisonment foi two months with hard labor. _