POLICE COURT.—TUESDAY. [Before THOS. BECKHAM, Esq..R.M]

New Zealand Herald, Volume I, Issue 3, 18 November 1863, Page 3

POLICE COURT.—TUESDAY. [Before THOS. BECKHAM, Esq..R.M]

VIOLENT ASS.UT.T, AND STATIIHNC WITH INTENT. John Priscoll. a private in the 2nd Waikato Regiment, Militia Volunteers, was charged by John Brown with a violent assault upon Ihe said John Brown, a private iu the said Regiment, by .stabbing him in the right arm. and other parts of his body, with a clasp knife, with intent to indict some bodiiv harm, at the Albert Barracks, on the 20th October last. John Brown, sworn, deposed : I am a private in the 2nd Waikato Militia. I know the prisoner. He is also a private in the same regiment. We arrived from {Sydney en the 20th October last, ami were stationed in the Albert Barracks. About i) o'clock on the night of the 20th, I was sitting on my cot in the barrack room. The prisoner was then standing at the end of the mess table, close to rav cot, up on which [ was sitting; he was drunk and quarrelsome at that time. 1 told him he had better go to his cot and lay down ; he refused to ilo so. and wanted to light with me. He pulled me up oil' my cot by the back of my shirt. I then took him to his own cot. He refused to stop in his own lied, and followed me back to mine, and again pulled me lip, and insisted upon fighting inc. As he insisted upon fighting me, I pulled my shirt off, and went outside for that purpose. Prisoner followed me. T raised my hand to defend myself; the prisoner advanced to me with his left hand raised ; and I saw something in his right hand, which appeared to me to be it knife, lie then made two blows at me with his right hand, containing the knife, and cut me on the left side in two places. After pushing him away, he made a third blow at me with this instrument, and stabbed me in the wrist. As I was pushing the prisoner away, I cried out that I was stabbed, and he was then taken into custody by Sergeant Leeds and Corporal Blackmore, belonging to the same regiment, and taken to the guard-room. I heard Blackmore say, about half an hour afterwards, that he had taken a knife from the prisoner. Corporal Blackmore and Sergt. Leeds are gone with the company to the Thames, in command of Capl. Holt. Dr. .Tolin Carey, Assistant Surgeon of (lie Auckland Militia, sworn, stated: I know'the prosecutor. I recollect seeing him on the night of the 20th, at the Militia Hospital, about half-past ten. lie had received two extensive superficial wounds across the abdomen, measuring about (5 or 7 inches in length. They were incised wounds. From their appearance I should say they had been inflicted with a knife, but not a very sharp one. An instrument like the outproduced would indict them (knife produced). There was also a punctured wound on the right wrist , jlbout half ail inch wide. The same knife produced would also indict such a wound. 1 treated him ; he is now quite well; but. for some time the wounds 1 showed a very unhealthy appearance, and ho was in danger for some days. I attended him until he was discharged from hospital, about, a week ago. His Worship stated that it was much to be regretted that the most important witnesses had been sent away, and was rather surprised that such should have been the case, after the information had been laid. Prisoner being cautioned in the usual maimer, stated that he had nothing to say, as lie knew nothing at all about the affair. His Worship said that the evidence was quite sufficient to convict him, although it could not go before the Judge in so complete a manner as the Bench would wish. He would sentence him to take liiu trial at the next sessions of the Supreme Court, for stabbing with intent. : DItUNICAHDS. Nieholas Bow, a private in the 50th, was brought up for the above offence, and ordered to be discharged, to allow liim to join his regiment. / Catherine Quinn, an incorrigible drunkard, was; sentenced to nine days' imprisonment, and cautioned I that if she was again brought up she would most; assuredly receive three months. i " John Doran, for his second offence, was fined ss. and costs, or 48 hours' hard labour. ;• BREACH OF TUB MERCHANT SHITTING ACT. Albert Canter, Michael llnghes, William Bass, and.' William Thompson, .were brought, up on the informal tion of Captain J<\ S. Dalison, of the ship 'IJelvellyu,' and charged with a breach of the " Merchant.' Shipping Act, 1851," by wilfully damaging uhip'a stores. The prisoners were articled seamen on board the said ship. Mr. Merriman appeared for the complainant, and requested that a remand might be granted, in order to allow him to bring a far more serious charge against the prisoners, lie would then be enabled to bring against Canter, attempt to murder; Bass, ineiting°tho crew to mutiny ; and Thompson, with actual mutiny on the high seas. Remanded until this morning at 10 o'clock.