POLICE COURT.
' (Before J. S. Clendon, Esq., 8.M.) Friday, 6th jut. j. b. kckeszib v. bavthbi and haubaxi. Mr Garruth prosecuted. Defendants did not appear. { Constable Hogg deposed that he served each defendant with a copy of the summons. ' Hauraki said he would not attend. . Baniera saidrothing. His Worship issued a warrant . for the arrest of the two prisoners. J. B. McKenzie was sworn and. deposed that the information was correct. MONDAY, MAT 9TH 1887. (Before Messrs J.^eUandlLThompgonJ.P's.) • Edward Clad^'.barher, was charged witly the 1 larcency of two.rpjjffs of the value of 1/, the property of J. Implements, chemist, Whangarei. -,£«-' t Prisoner pleaflea '' guilty "to the charge. ' Their reserved . judgement until after the other charge had been taken, o Prisoner was " further charged under the . "Police Offences Act" 1884, section 2B, subl section 4. by endeavouring to impose on C. H. Humphries by means of a certain false and ! fraudulent representation, with a view to obtain' jabfley. " : [ PrUooer pleaded" not guUtv." ' Constable Gordon opened the case and ex- ' plained the charge. » Albert Dent deposed : lam in the employ of
Mr C. H. Humphries of the Settlors' Hotel. I know prisoner. I saw him on Saturday last. I saw him about 8. 15 on Saturday morning. He was then talking to Dickey under the verandah of the butcher's shop. He came over from there to the bar ot the hotel about 8. 30. He asked me if 1 would shake him for " boozes."* I declined. He said " We'll have a couple of boozes for old times sake." I gave him his drink. He had " Schnapps. ' ' He then put down a bad coin on the counter in payment. This is the coin (produced) I asked him what it was, and he said " half-a-sovereign." I told him I wouldn't take it for half-a-soverign, it was bad. He then took the coin and went out on the verandah. He gave me no further money for the drinks. Prisoner said that he didn't remember seeing this witness that morning at all. He only remembered seeing the barman. Witness to Bench. I didn't ask him further for any money.- Clark didn't seem to be drunk. He put it down and expected change for it. It was not put down in a joking way. W. 11. Harding deposed, I am a employed at the Settler's Hotel. I know the prisoner. I remember seeing him on Saturday in the bar of the Hotel. It was then about 10:30 a.m. He was with a man named Brannigan. Prisoner said to Brannigan, " You owe me half-a-crown." Brannigan put down the half-crown, which prisoner took up. Brannigan repeatedly told aim to pnt it down again. He did so. Clark said "Be a man and pay me what you owe me." He then paid him the half-crown. Clark then said" What j will you have," and called for two drinks. He paid for them out of the half-crown, and I j gave him 1/6 back. They bad the drinks, and then had some conversation, from which I gathered that they were not on friendly, terms. Soon after, Mr Dickey and another man came in and went into a private room near the bar. Brannigan followed them in, and then Clark. Dickey paid for drinks for himself, his friend and Brannigan. Dickey and his friend then went out leaving Clark and Brannigan in the room together. They remained about 10 minutes. Clark was sitting with his left hand on Brannigan's knee. I saw them in that position when I opened the door. " They then came out, and Clark shouted for two drinks, and gave me a shilling from a handful of silver. After that they sat on the seat in front of the bar, and had a conversation for a considerable time. Clark then called for two more drinks, and gave me another shilling. After a lengthly dispute between them, Brannigan called for two drinks. He put down a counterfeit half-sovereign. (Coin produced and identified). He put this down in payment for the drinks. I asked Brannigan where he got it from. He said he had got it from me in change for a sovereign that morning. I said "No you didn't, I gave you 18/6 in silver." Clark then said tf You didn't get it from him, he gave you all silver, someone has passed it off on you." I told him I hod witnesses to prove I had paid him all ihe change in silver. Mr Humphries then came in. Brannigan showed him the half-soverign. Bertie Dent then came past. The coin was on the counter. Dent said " I have seen that coin before, this morning. It was tendered by Clark for two drinks at this bar." As soon as Dent said this he went to the kitchen and Clark followed after him. To prisoner : You asked me for the box, and I didn't give it to you. I didn't see yon tosi with shillings. I said gambling was not allowed there. Prisoner: "You haven't spoken two words of the truth since you came into the box. (To the Bench). It is no use asking him any more questions, your Worships, he couldn t speak the truth if he tried to." ' William Bryne deposed: I know the prisoner. I saw him on Friday night last, about 12 o'clock at Marsden Point. He asked me to get him a ticket for Whangarei. He gave me a coin (produced) to buy it with. I asked him what name, and he said " Harcord,'' or something like it. I didn't get the ticket, I asked Mr Munro fora ticket for " Harcord," and while he was writing the ticket, I looked at the coin and thought it was 'bad. I asked a friend of mine if it was good. He said it was not. I then asked Mr Munro if it was a good coin, and he asked me if I was trying to pass it as half-a-sovereign. I told him the coin was given me by a darkie to get him a ticket for Whangarei. I then went on board the steamboat, and gave prisoner back this coin. I told him he'd better go and get his own ticket. He then laughed ana said it was only a joke. He Baid he thought I would have found out it was bad before I got to where the tickets were issued. I told him it was a very dangerous kind of joke, and advised him not to try it again. . To prisoner : I ididn't my breakfast-togeth«r. "" I don't reineknber seeing you try to pass a half-&>verei£nlto -Mrs. Hai&'.£_ _„ .._„ __l_:' J Prisoner: "He Kas no memory, your Worships ; He doesn't remember anything I ask him." This closed the case for the prosecution. Prisoner then said that he hod been playing a rather funny joke. He had never intended to pass the coin, but had only carried on a joke. Prisoner shed tears and appealed to the compassion and clemancy of the Court. He heped-their Worships would have mercy on ; him, and take into consideration the time he j had been locked up. ' Their Worships found that the charge had been proved, and sentenced the prisoner to one months hard labour for each offence, the sentences to ran concurrently.
Permanent link to this item
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NA18870514.2.15
Bibliographic details
Northern Advocate, 14 May 1887, Page 3
Word Count
1,211POLICE COURT. Northern Advocate, 14 May 1887, Page 3
Using This Item
No known copyright (New Zealand)
To the best of the National Library of New Zealand’s knowledge, under New Zealand law, there is no copyright in this item in New Zealand.
You can copy this item, share it, and post it on a blog or website. It can be modified, remixed and built upon. It can be used commercially. If reproducing this item, it is helpful to include the source.
For further information please refer to the Copyright guide.