MAGISTERIAL.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CVI, Issue 12556, 18 July 1901, Page 3

MAGISTERIAL.

LYTTELTON. Wednesday, July 17. (Before Mr H. W. Bishop, S.M.) Alleged Theft. —Thomas Carson was charged with having stolen from the i schooner Jessie Niccol a pair of blankets, a pair of trousers, a vest, a white shirt and a set of gold studs and sleeve-links, the property of William Baenberg. He pleaded not guilty, and on the application of the police, was remanded for eight days. Civil Case, —ln reference to the case of F. Lufaro v. 0. E. Curtis, in which, at a previous sitting, the question of jurisdiction had been raised,. his Worship said that the Court declined to hear the case, as there was certainly a bona fide question of title involved. He would not give costa. Mr Beswick appeared for the plaintiff and Mr Wright for the defendant.

RANGIORA. Tuesday, July 16.

(Before Dr MAnthur, S.M., Mr E. R. Good, J.P., and Mr A. D. Hassall, J.P.)

Alleged . Forgery and Uttering.— Charles M’Cutcheon was charged with having, on June 29, forged a cheque for £ls on the Union Bank of Australia, Rangiora, purporting to be signed by James Webster, and with having uttered the same to E. C. Brown. Mr Cassidy appeared for accused, and Sergeant Johnston conducted the prosecution. E. C. Brown, manager of the D.1.C., stated that on July 4 he received a cheque for £ls, produced, with a letter through the post. The letter was dated June 30, and the cheque June 29. As a result of the letter he sent goods to the value of £l3 8s 9d to the Moeraki Railway Station, and advised the customer by letter that the balance would be held to his credit. The letter was • signed; “ James Webster.” Witness passed the cheque through the bank, and it was returned marked “signature unlike.” The goods were ultimately forwarded to the Gust Station, when they were taken possession of by the police. Joseph Alexander Cunningham, ledger-keeper in the Union Bank, Rangiora, gave evidence that the cheque produced came through the Bank of New Zealand, and he marked it “signature unlike.” James Webster, Moeraki, had; an account at the bank. The signature to the cheque was not his. James Webster, former, Moeraki, stated that he had an account in the Union Bank, Rangiora. He did mot write or sign cheque or letter produced, nor authorise anyone to do so. There was no other James Webster in the district. To Mr Cassidys Accused had never worked! for witness, nor had he paid him any of his cheques. He spelt his name “Webster.” Arthur Searell, miller and fanner, Gust, stated that accused had worked; for him recently. He was living m a whare near the mill, but was not working for witness when arrested 1 . Witness kept his cheque-book in his office in the milk Any person oould have access to his chequebook. The cheque produced was taken out. of his cheque-book, which should contain thirty forms. Three were missing. To Mr Cassidy: People have free access to his office, and it wa® not an uncommon thing for him to find people waiting for him in, the mill. Had; never previously lost anything from the office. The cheques were all taken from the back of the book. Thomas Hubbard, railway ganger, stated that he was caretaker of the Moeraki station. The station was lucked' at night when there was anything in it. A bicycle, paper parcel, and packet of cartridges came in on Friday, July 5. They were looked in the station. The bicycle came from Morrow, Bassett and! Co., the large- parcel from the D.1.C., and the small one with explosives, from the latter also. On July 4 a parcel about three feet long and six inches wide came from Edward Reece and Sons, and' was taken to witness's house. All the parcels and the bicycle were addressed to “ Mr James Webster, Moeraki.” No one called for the goods, and on July 8, by instruction of the station-master at Gust, he re-addressed the goods to the consignors. ■ On the evening of July 6, witness saw accused on the Moeraki platform, looking into the station-room. Thought he was a passenger, and told him to get on the train. Detective Cassells stated that he saw accused at his whare on July 9. Showed him the cheque and letter produced, and told him the signatures to them we re forgeries. He asked accused if he knew anything about them, and he replied in the negative. Asked him if he would let him see specimens of’his handwriting, and he replied certainly. Witness found a letter and two books produced, the writing in which accused admitted was his. Witness compared these writings with the letter and cheque sent to the D.1.C., and remarked to accused that they seemed somewhat similar. He said there was a likeness, but he knew nothing about it. Witness asked him, to write the address, “ James Webster, The Downs, Moeraki,” which he 'did ini the book produced. When he got as far as “Web,” ho said how do you spell “Webster.” Witness replied: “Spell it as you think proper.” He then wrote “Webester.” The piece of blotting paper produced was also amongst accused’s effects. Had examined it with a lookingglass and found the word “Webester” on it, also “Address,” and “Jas. Webester,” also “shirts” which is in the letter sent to. the D.I.C. Witness also produced a letter from Sergeant Johnston, whi<sjx he showed'the accused, who admitted it was in his hand-writing. Then charged accused with the offence and he made no answer. Francis H. Harley, clerk in the Bank of New South Wales, Christchurch, stated that he had compared the signatures and writing in the cheque and letter with the letter and writing produced by the previous witness, and considered that they were all in the same handwriting. This was all the evidence, and accused, who reserved his defence, was committed for trial. The same accused was then charged) with having, on June 29, forged a cheque for £8 10s, purporting to be signed by James Webster, and with having uttered the same to E. Reece and Sons. William Bull, accountant to E. Reece and Sons, stated that the cheque and letter produced were received on July 3, and the goods ordered in the letter were sent to the address on the same day to Moeraki. The cheque was paid into the firm’s account at the Bank of New South Wales, and was returned marked- “ Signature unlike.” The cheque and letter were signed James Webester. The remainder of the evidence was of a similar nature to that given in the former case, and accused was committed for trial. Ho was further charged that on the same date he did forge a cheque for £25, purporting, to be signed by James Webster, and did utter the same to Morrow, Bassett, ‘ and Co. William Bassett, salesman for Morrow,- Bassett and Co., gave evidence that he received. the letter and cheque produced on July 3. The goods ordered were sent on July 5 to Moeraki. The cheque was placed to the credit of the firm at the Bank of New Zealand, but was dishonoured and 1 returned marked “signature unlike.” The goods were returned, to Christchurch. The rest of the evidence was merely a repetition, and. on this, charge also accused was committed for trial. Bail was allowed, accused in £IOO and two sureties of £SO each. Civil Cases.— North Canterbury Cooperative Stores v. T. Shea, claim £1 Os 7d. Judgment by default for amount claimed, with costs. —A. B. Blackett (Mr Helmore) v. A. E. Bing, claim £lB 10s 9d. This case was adjourned indefinitely. GERALDINE. Tuesday, July 16. (Before Mr C. A. Wray, S.M., and Mr H. W. Moore, J.P.) Alleged Larceny. —John Dalton was charged with stealing, on July 8, 5 sheepskins, valued at 3s each, and 3491 b of wool, valued at 3d per lb, the property of G. J. Dennistoun, Peel Forest, and 8 sheepskins and 3571 b of wool, -the property of the executors of late G. G. Tripp, Orari. Gorge' Station, on July 9. Accused was undefended, and pleaded: not guilty. He asked to be dealt with summarily. The

evidence showed that accused went, with a van of wool and skins to the Ran gi tat a Railway Station, and consigned the load in the name ofl John Loyd, to the New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Company, He hod with him a boy named Montague Wallis, fifteen years of age, whom the had engaged in Christchurch, at 5s a week. The two went first to Mr- Denn-is-touri-s station, and camped near tho woolshed. In the night the accused went to the shed and stole the wool and skins, and made the boy help him. Next day they went to Orari Gorge station, where accused offered books for sale to the men, and in the night committed a similar offence. Mr M Naught on, who was in charge of the Orari Gorge station, however, had been warned about the accused by information received from Peel Forest, and counted hiK skins and carefully noted the quantity of wool on the board. Next morning the skins and wool were missing, and he sent word to Constable Muilaney, who arrested accused while on his way to Geraldine with his van full of wool and skins. Accused) had cut the ears off the skins and attempted to obliterate the brands with ai black smudge. Accused was sentenced to six months’ imprisonment on each charge, the sentences to be accumulative.