SUPREME COURT.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XXV, Issue 1636, 14 March 1866, Page 5

SUPREME COURT.

♦ — The criminal sessions of the Supreme Court were opened on the Ist instant by his Honor, Mr. Justice Gresson, at 11 o'clock. The following is a summary of the proceedings: His Honor, in charging the Grand Jury, said that the calendar indicated no more than the average amount of crime. There were fourteen cases, which might be classified as follows—three for forgery; three for embezzlement; one for stabbing; one for robbery with violence; one for perjury; two for larceny; one for obtaining goods under false pretences; one for maliciously wounding cattle, and one for escape from prison. Maliciously Wounding Cattle.—Wm. Gaby was indicted for maliciously wounding an ox, the property of Charlotte Maslin, on 9th February last. Mr. Duncan, the Crown prosecutor, appeared for the Crown in this and the other cases ; and Mr. Moorhouse appeared for the prisoner. Charlotte Maslin deposed to seeing the prisoner, wjto lived close by, near her stock-yard before six o'clock in the morning of the 9th February, and on going out finding one of her oxen wounded in the chest, as if by gunshot, but did not observe if there was anything in the prisoner's hand before she went out, and heard no report of fire-arms. William and Emily Maslin, children of the above witness, deposed to the prisoner having previously threatened to shoot the bullocks if they got into his wheat. The jury returned a verdict of not guilty, and the prisoner was discharged Embezzlement. — Edwin Wm. Hedge, charged with embezzling money of his employers, Messrs. Brown and Co., brewers, pleaded guilty, and was sentenced to twelve months' imprisonment, with hard labour. Forgery.— Robert M'Leroth, who was charged on three indictments with forgery and uttering, pleaded guilty, and was sentenced to six years' imprisonment, with hard labour. Escape.—Lee Wade, indicted for escaping from prison, pleaded guilty, and said he had escaped because he was undergoing two years' imprisonment unjustly. His Honor sentenced him to six months' imprisonment, with hard labour, to be computed from the end of his present sentence. Forgery and Uttering. — William Currie, who was indicted with Robt. McLeroth for committing this offence, was honourably acquitted.

I Embezzlement. — William Collins, cab- | driver, was indicted for embezzling the money of his employer, H. Read. From the evidence, it appeared that the prisoner had appropriated money received for the hire of his cab to his own use, instead of handing it over to his master. The jury found him guilty, and he was sentenced to twelvemonths' imprisonment with hard labour. Stauhixg.—Samuel Wilson was indicted for stabbing T. W. Leslie. From the evidence of Leslie, a lodging-house-keeper at Lyttelton, itappearedthatprisonerand another man came to his house on Feb. 13, at 11.30 p.m., when prisoner became very violent on being refused a meal, as it was late, and "after struggling with the witness, stabbed him in the thigh with a sailor's knife. After some other evidence of a corroborative nature was given, the jury found the prisoner guilty, and his Honor sentcncec 1 . him to two years' imprisonment, with hard labour. Kor.niißV, with Violence.—llenry Brown was indicted for the above ofFence on the person of Peter Scott. Peter Scott deposed that, on the night of Feb. 4, he went to his home in Peterborough street rather late, and feeling unwell came out again, when he was met by prisoner, who assaulted him violently with a shingle hammer, and made him deliver over his money amounting to about £1 10 to him. Dr. Deamer deposed to the prosecutor having received a wound in the scalp two inches long and down to the bone, and other wounds about the face of a less serious character. The jury after hearing corroborative evidence, found prisoner guilty, and he was sentenced to three years imprisonment with hard labour. False Pretences.—i Wary Hyde, indicted for obtaining goods under false pretences, was honourably acquitted. Larceny.—J. Edwards was indicted for having on 29th Deer., last, stolen a purse, pockethook, and money, the property of Wm. Wherry. The circumstances of the case were as follows : —William Wherry, prosecutor, went to the Junction Hotel, Christchurch, where he met the prisoner. After drinking and having dinner together, prosecutor went into the stable, and on waking up in the evening, missed the property mentioned in the indictment, a portion of which was found on the prisoner. The jury found the prisoner guilty, and he was sentenced to twelve months imprisonment with hard labour. Embezzlement.—Charles Restieaux was indicted for having, on the 18th January, embezzled the money of his employers, Messrs. Hart and Dearing. From the evidence it appeared that the prosecutors, two publicans in Christchurch, were partners in a booth on the race-course at the late races, and prisoner was in their employ. They suspected the prisoner, and one of them seeing a £1 note " planted" between two casks, marked it by tearing a piece off the corner. It was sometime afterwards found in the prisoner's possession, who said he had just received it over the bar. After hearing the evidence, the jury found the prisoner guilty. Mr. Travers, who defended prisoner, obtained an arrest of judgment, as he maintained that the prisoner was not guilty of embezzlement, but of larceny, and the point was reserved for the Court of Appeal. Meanwhile bail was taken for prisoner to come up for judgment, when called on, himself in £100 and two sureties of £50 each. Larceny from a Dwelling - house. — Walter Johnson was indicted for having on 9th January last, entered the Warwick Hotel.Cashel street,and stolen therefrom certain monies belonging to Robt. Beattie and another, the proprietors of the Hotel. From the evidence it appeared that the money was quite safe locked in a drawer at 7 o'clock, on the evening of the 9th January, and was missed at 11 o'clock, and that prisoner was the only man, who had an opportunity of getting it. Evidence was brought forward, all tending to bring the charge home to the prisoner, and he was found guilty, and sentenced to twelve month's imprisonment with hard labour. This case closed the business of the session.