RESIDENT MAGISTRATE'S COURT, This Dat.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume I, Issue 179, 1 October 1866, Page 2

RESIDENT MAGISTRATE'S COURT, This Dat.

[Before J. Poynter, Esq., R.M.] LARCEXV. 11. H. Norris complained against John Rowley, hackney-coach driver, for stealing £1 from him, on Sunthiy last, The prisoner denied the charge. Complainantt: 1 am a printer, and was a passenger hy the Claud Hamilton. I hired the prisoner's cab on Sunday afternoon, in the street. " He said he had a party to take five miles out, and if I liked to go he ' would charge me sa. I went a short way out. Ido not know the name of the street. It was not far from the town. We called at one or two publichouses, and had something to drink. Wc also called at a house of ill fume a little out of the town. Two other men were with me. We all got out and stayed there. We did not stop an hour. This was the place where I left the trap. I lost my money in the house. On going in I gave a wonian money to get some drink. I gave tlie woman ss. I had a sovereign, 2t half-sovereign, two half-crowns, and 21 two-shilling piece .after I gave the woman the ss. It was in my right hand coat pocket. The prisoner came rpughly tip to me and said it was time I was off, at the same time he put his hand in my waistcoat pocket and took out all thc money but ihe coppers. He cleared me out, left the house, and left me there. He was gone so quick I could not say much to him. I went, out :ii'ter him ;md he was driving down the road, one of the party being with him. I left the house immediately and gave information. The prisoner was arrested about three hours afterwards. I saw him searched, but don't know what money was found ou him. It was about 4 o'clock wheu he took tho money from me. To the Prisoner : I came to you after dinner. I was sober then. Before going to the port wo went to a public house, where you took a lot of men in. I invited the men who were with you. I had a glass of brandy at the first public house. After this we went to the port. We stopped 2it a public house there. I had a glass of brandy. I was not incapable. I knew what money I had in my pocket. I remember distinctly the prisoner putting his hand in my pocket. To the Magistrate : I have no witness. I knew one of the persons who were in the cab. To the prisoner: I did not engage you to pass the afternoon with me. I picked up a person I knew at the Otago Diningrooms. I don't remember paying you 12s. I remember giving you half a sovereign. j changed a sovereign in Collingwood-street, and a woman gave me the change. I don't remember how many public-houses I went into ; it was more than three. I don't remember how many glasses I had to drink. I did not ask you to drive me to a house of ill-fame. You took me there of your own accord. I did not say I would give you ss. to take me there. I think the woman of the house gave you ss. for me. I think I paid you 12s. The Magistrate : • This was an imposition accordingto vour o;vn showing. Tlie complainant, at the request of the magistrate, pointed out one of the persons he saw in the car. Constable Dickson: I took the prisoner into custody last evening, at the request of the complainant, who was not very sober.* He said he had been riding with a stout cabman, who had robbed him of 375., and he wished to give him into custody. On searching him at the lockup I found on him five £l notes, one sovereign, 2 half-sovereigns, 3 half-crowns, a

~mAmt%m--m-^m¥mmmmimm-mmmmmmmitt^mmm,<mmm-mmV two-shilling piece, 11 shillings, s' sixpences, and 2 .pennies. The. gold and notes were in the pocket-book-nroduced, the silver loose in his pockets. The prisoner denied the charge. He said the complainant engaged him to drive him round the town, and paid him 12s. He then offered to give him ss. to take him to a house of ill-fame. He did, put him down and left him there. He called Mrs. Edwards who said : I recollect you and the prosecutor coming to-my house about 5 o'clock yesterday afternoon, in a cab. -Two men were with you, one was named James. The complainant was rather in drink. He changed a sovereign at my house. You did not stop long. You all went out together. I gave all the change iu silver, aud saw the complainant put the -money in his pocket, They spent as. 3d. John James : I keep a boarding house. I came irom the port in your cab yesterday afternoon. The prosecutor was in the cab on coming to town, we stopped at the Wakatu and the prosecutor invited several to drink. He did not p;iy for it. After that ■we drove to CoDingwood-street when the prosecutor paid you 12s. He told you lie would give you some money if you would take him to a house of ill-fame. He said he -would giYe £5, 1 think. He might have suid ss. I went in the trap with them to a liouse in Bridge-street. I saw them get out. I went away tlie back road and saw Rowley and a boy go away in the cab. The name of the -boy was Augarde. 1 saw j -the- prosecutor get out, and a minute after saw Rowley go away. I did not see him go in the house. Rowley had to help the man eut. The cab did not stop more than two minutes. Percy Augarde : I rode in prisoner's cab yesterday, • about 3 o'clock. I got in at. the port, rode through the town, round to the Catholic school. We came down Bridge-street, Mr. Rowley and two other men, now in Court, including the -prosecutor, A man named James was there. We stopped at Edwards's. At the house in Bridge-street, the prisoner, prosecutor, and James all went in, and remained there about •JO minutes. -I am sure they all went in. I did not ■see James come out. Rowley did, and came away in the car with me, leaving the other two there. The magistrate directed that an information be •bid against; James for perjury, he having sworn he did nor enter the house. To the prisoner: I saw the prosecutor pay you 12s. •just before you got to the house. Tho man was so -drunk he could not stand. You went to the port alter Reaving the house, and I went with you in the car. I heard the prosecutor ask you to drive him to .this house. Winifred Robinson was called. Sho objected to tiike an uath except sworn on the Roman Catholic Testament: I saw the prosecutor at my house yesterday between 3 and 4 o'clock. I saw Rowley and James there about 20 minutes. The prosecutor complained of being robbed. I told him to go and look after thc man with the trap, who he said had got his money. He went after the man with the trap. I am positive James was in the house 20 minutes. To thc Prisoner: I did not sec the prosecutor pay you any money. The moment he missed thc trap he went away after you. I told the prosecutor when lie first came in he had not enough money for inc. His silver was all in half-crowns. I saw no gold at ail. He gave me ss. for drink whilst you were in the honse, out of the 10s. he first showed me. To the Prosecutor: I recollect you going to the door and saying the cabman was gone. You were uot too drunk at all. The magistrate to the prisoner : As you have made an attempt to deceive the Court, I shall remand the case till ) 2 o'clock to-morrow, to see what other information may be forthcoming. It's all your own doing. Prisoner : I know nothing of the robbery, and only called the witness to prove the man paid me tlie' money. Magistrate : Your witness has stated a falsehood, in saying he never entered the house at ali, when it is proved that ho was there sometime. John James was immediately arrested on a charge of perjury.