ALLEGED BURGLARY.

North Otago Times, Issue 778, 22 July 1890, Page 1

ALLEGED BURGLARY.

At the Reident Magistrate^ Court ycstor* day beforo Mr Mr Stratford, John Pairaor was oUargod with being in the Post offico built' :ng, Oamaru, on' tho night of tho 16th inic , with intent to commit a felony. lu'ipoctor Thompson conducted tho oaso for tho polioo, and Mr Harvoy appcatod for accubed. Cliarlca Ogilvio Rosa eaid that bo wan at work in tho instrument room of the Post Ofliud, and about half past ton ou tho night of tho 16th ho hoard a kind of shuffling noioo in the doapatch or mesteagora' room, aud fcho handle of tho door waa turned. Ho remarked to M'Ghie, a fellow tologr*phist, thati ho (witnoss) thought somcono was tliere, and M Ghio opened the door leading to tho deapatch room. Following Mr M'Ghio to the door, witness beard acousod make some remark about tho Empire hotel. Witness then identtGed tho accused, who was in tho despatch room, by tho light. Mr M'Ghe and accused then went outside. Witacaa could not say whether accused was cUunkor sober, Tho public occasionally came into tho mesaeoger«' room to send telegrams out of telegraph hours. At about half-past oleven Mr M'Ghio drew witness a attention to his having fouud tho back door ou tho collar floor of the Post Offico open and tho catch of the look was wrenched off and lying on the floor inside He wont over to the Empire to make enquiries, and afterwards made an examination of the promiaeu, and found tho anoea now produced about three feet from tho broken aoor. Tho inmde door had not been touched. To Mr Harvey: Mr M'Ghio had told witnois ho smolt drink on tho accuaed. Munud Courtney Baid tho door leading iutoßittory R room was all right between 9 and 10 o clock, and tho next tiuio ho saw ll it bad been broken open. Gaviu M'Ghio said ho identified the aucuHcd aa the person who carao into the meuaengcra' room of tho Telegraph Offico. Tho further evidonco of . the witness wag corroborative of that given by C. 0. Ro3s. To Mr Hirvoy : Ho smelt liquor on tho aecuaid. Ho could not nay whether he had his boots oil or on, as ho did imt pay particular attention to accu cd. ® ••. M. Smith, waiter at tho Empire Hotei, aaid ho sw tho accused at about 10.30 on tho Eight of tho iOfch, Bo bad then no boola ou. Accused told witness his boots wore in No, 14 room, but witness could not find them thero. The man waa muddled. Detective O'JLJrion said tho accusod, after btnng arrested, hau admitted tho boots woro hia • , To Mr Harvey : Ho found tho accused in a house, aud ho appeared to bo very thirsty, as ho drank several glasses of water. Scrgoant O'Gr.idy also gave ovidouce as to c admitting the uhoea wero hit, and tho oaso for tho prosecution closed. The accuuol made a ntatomouw that ho had been working at Otiake, and came into Outturn on the loth by the tirat train. Ho had been on the spreo previous to atarting work at Kurow a week ago. Ho had fivo drinka of whisky on tha journoy down, a~id live more when ho arrived m town. Ho went to a disreputablo house, and after le.wing it did not rumen: bor anything oho, The boots produced woxo his, but ho could not remember buing at tiio Pont Oitico, nor did ho recollect anything till Detective OBrien npoko to him. Mr Harvey addra«ned tho Court, and the accused was dinminsod,