MAGISTERIAL.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LIII, Issue 5947, 18 March 1880, Page 3

MAGISTERIAL.

CHRISTCHURCH, : Wednesday, March 17. ; “ (Before G. L. Hellish; Esq., E.M.) Drunkenness.— A first offender was fined ss. Breach op the Peach.— William Hatch and Edward Stevens were charged with committing a,breach of the peace in view of a constable. Constable Hannan deposed that he saw the two men straggling oh the footSath, one having his lip out. Constable t'Carthy stated that he also saw'; the defendants in front of the White Hart Hotel, bpth being On the ground. Witness understood that one of the men was a barman, and that on his turning out the other mam the row took'place. This was pleaded on the port of One ; of, the defendants. A man named Welsh deposed that he was in the bar, and saw the barman push the man put. The man then struck the barman on the mouth; The case against Hatch, was dismissed, and Stevens was fined 10s. ‘ Failing to Pay. —Lucy Davey, who had been arrested on a warrant from Dunedin, was charged with failing to pay for the support of her children in the Industrial School at Burnham, ■ Accused said she did support the children until their father came to Otago. She had a receipt for a part .of the money, and was' not prepared to pay the balance. The father, who had been away seven years and a half, was now in Christchurch, and he ought to be looked after. Accused was remanded to March 19, to he brought up in Dunedin. • ’ Vagrancy.— Frederick William Oldman was again brought up on the charge of having no lawful, visible means of support. Sub-.' Inspector O’Donnel said he had seen ! Mr March, and found that the Charitable !Aid Board cou’d not possibly make room fori the man. His Worship said the doctors declined to certify that the man was insane. He; was hajf-witted, and would network, and the‘only thing was to deal with him as a vagrant, a course which had been followed with him on previous occasions. Accused was sentenced to six months’ imprisonment, with hard labour. Joseph Evans Whidby, a man of colour, well known about the streets of Christchurch, wag brought up as a vagrant, and Sergeant Wilson briefly stated what he knew of the histcy of the accused, who persisted in sleeping out. Sub-Inspector O’Donnel said accused had been imprisoned on previous, occasions. He was now sentenced to six months’ imprisonment with hard labour. Margaret Bowen and Theresa Dixon were charged with vagrancy. One of them said the constables had been very good to her, and had given her a good chance. If allowed she would leave the Colony at 2 o’clock on the next day, and go to Melbourne. Mr Haskins deposed that a cottage was let to one of the accused, who represented herself as a washerwoman. In a few days it was ascertained that the cottage was used by disreputable characters, greatly to the disturbance of the neighbourhood. Sergeant Wilson said the cottage was situated between Durham and Montreal streets.; On two occasions he had visited the place, and found both the accused drunk. One of the accused here said: “Well, its: like that we don’t get time , to get sober.” (Laughter.) She would like to do well if they would let her, but they wouldn’t. If she slept ini a paddock they chased her ont, and if she took a house they were down upon her;, she 'was obliged to take the house under a false representation. His Worship said there were innumerable convictions against the accused, and they would each be sentenced to twelve months’ imprisonment with hard labour. Larceny. Faith Gibson” alias Faith Minnie, Was charged with the following larcenies:—A shawl, value 12s 6d, the property of Thomas Henry Boae£ a silk skirt and a quantity of satin' cloth, value £3 2s 6d, (the property of Thomas Henry Bone; an Ulster, value 245, the property of Everett Bros. Mr Stringer appeared for the prisoner. Detective O’Connor deposed that on the previous day, shout 2 p.m., he saw accused examine some goods outside Mr Bone’s shop, and pull at the shawl produced, which was hanging in the right of way. She then pushed one end of the shawl over the bar on which it was suspended, and having placed the shawl under her jacket, went down; the right of way towards Lichfield street. Witness followed her to a distance of about thirty yards. He then stopped her, saying — u What have you got there,” at the same time pulling the shawl out. She said “ Oh for God’s sake don’t make any harm of i f .” On the way to the Police Depfit, accused made two or three attempts to get into the river. When told that witness was a detective, she , offered to pay for the shawl. Henry Pemberthey, ,ft draper in the employ of Mr Bone, deposed that; the shawl produced was placed at the corner of the shop going down the right-of-way. Was present when the detective brought; the woman in. A shawl of the description bad not been sold to anyone. In the shop the woman; begged to bo let off, and said she wanted to drown herself. On the previous Monday, articles had been stolen, Mid complaint was made to the police. Mr Stringer said it was useless for him to attempt to make any defence, the evidence being very different to what he had ' been led by his inv structions to anticipate. made a long.statement to the Bench, the gist of her remarks being that the detective saw her looking at the shawl, snatched it out of her hand, and pushed her into the shop. With reference to the other cases, Mr Stringer; said he did not feel disposed, under the circumstances, to go on. He would subsequently ask a few questions of the husband of thb accused, who was holding a respectable position. Evidence was now given of a visit paid to the house of the accused, in St. Asaph street west, by Detectives O’Connor and Benjamin, to whom (he satin oloth and silk skirt, which had been reported to the' police as. missing, were given up. Prisoner told i the detectives, that she bought the things from a drunken woman whose children were at the Burnham Industrial School, and that when buying them she thought they must have been stolen. Detective Benjamin explained that the articles were secreted in the bed, and that when prisoner observed that the bed was about to be searched, she became very violent, eventually turning down the bed herself, and throwing the articles out, saying, “ I suppose that’s what you wont.” Further evidence showed that the articles were missed from Mr Bone’s premises on Monday afternoon j that they certainly had not been sold to anyone, and that accused had not been seen in the shop; “The articles 'were exposed outside, but were secured asmuohas it is possible to secure suoh things.” ;His Worship (: “The old story, you know, putting temptation in people’s way.” _ Evidence* was next given in connection; with the third, charge, of stealing a lady’s Ulster,' the property of Everett Bros., but the article produced oould nbt positively be identified as one of the two ifiisdhg. !;v Hik Worship said" the prisoner should have the benefit of what little doubt there might be in connection with the last case, but the article must be

given up to ;Mr Everett. Mr Stringer pleaded that the good position of the husband, and the excellent testimonials held by him, might he taken into consideration. He also asked that some note might be taken of the temptation to which the woman was subjected by the exposure of the goods. His Worship remarked that prisoner might better have claimed consideration on the grounds stated. Bat she had brazened out the charges with the most unblushing effrontery, notwithstanding that there could not bo the slightest doubt as to her guilt. She would be sentenced to a month’s imprisonment on each charge, but the sentences would be concurrent, and would therefore only represent a month, in all. Attempted Felony. George Wilson, alias Martin O’Halloran, alias Mark

3’Halioran, alias George Crosby, alias Joseph Dubbo, alias Dublin Joe, alias James Wilson, alias Martin Wallace, was brought up on remand, charged with attempting to commit a felony. Prisoner pleaded that he wag not guilty, as he was drunk at the time. May Armstrong, wife of Thomas Armstrong, draper, Peterborough street, said, about halfpast ten on Saturday morning she saw accused in the shop, sitting on the counter, with his right hand near the till, his left hand on the counter, and one leg over the inner edge of the counter. The till was standing on a shelf behind the counter, and prisoner was reaching across to it. Witness ran out, and prisoner said he would not do it again if let off. There were four £1 notes in the till, and from 10s to 17s in silver. The till was a metal cash-box ; it was closed, but not locked. Prisoner was detained until the arrival of a constable ; he did not seem to be intoxicated at all. The arresting constable deposed that prisoner said he was getting inside the counter to call Mrs Armstrong, as he wanted some tobacco. The constable considered prisoner was perfectly sober at the time. In reply to the Bench, prisoner again pleaded that he was drunk, and also that he hod been in the shop for abont half an hour. Committed for trial at the next criminal session of the fcupreme Court. LYTTELTON. Wednesday, March 17. (Before Joseph Beswick, Esq., 8.M., and J. T. Bouse, Esq.) Desbbtion. —Henry Leader, apprentice to the barque Inglewood, was charged with this offence. The evidence proved that the attempt to desert had been thoroughly planned and intended, the prisoner having been arrested on board the Hawea last Monday. After hearing the statement of Captain Brooklebank and the police, the Bench ordered prisoner to gaol for a month, to be put on board if the ship sailed within that time. Breach or Hailway Regulations— Johanna Gallagher alias Conno, and Bridget Ferrick were charged with travelling in a first-class carriage from Christchurch to Lyttelton hy the midday train yesterday, they having only second-class tickets, and being the worse for drink at the time. SergeantMajor O’Grady spoke of both prisoners as several times previously convicted in Christchurch. lined 50s, or 14 days. Judgment Summons. —Rouse v. Carson, claim £7 9s ; ordered to pay 10s a week, or in default a month's imprisonment.—Same v. Northey, claim £ll7s; ordered to pay in 14 days, or in default 14 days imprisonment.

SOHTHBBIDGE. Wednesday, March 16. (Before E. J. Lee, Esq.) Drunk and Disorderly.—A first offender was fined £l.