POLICE COURT.— Monday.

New Zealand Herald, Issue 87, 23 February 1864, Page 4

POLICE COURT.— Monday.

flkiforu Thomas ilrekliuui. l>q., 11.31.] I..\Krj-;N v. Charles Fisher, a discharged Militia Volunteer, was plaecd at the bar, and charged with stealing from the hut tif Lieut, .iackson, INthlloyal Irish, at Otahuhu, about the Ith inst., a cpiantit v ol jewellery, wearing apparel, i:c., valmd at upwards of 1100. John l>oddington Jackson, sworn, stated : I am a lieutenant in the 2nd Hat. 18th l.'egt., stationed at. ftangiriri. In January hist I had nearly all my haggngi) stored in a hut at Utahuhu (an»]>. 1 saw it all safe in the /its! w«.-ek in <hititmry; 1 had a che st, of drawers, '2 bullock trunk's, and a tin case, full of linen and clothes. The hut door was locked, and I gave the key to private Jiell, of tliu lSth Kegt., about the Ist or 2nd of January; 1 gave it to him to give to Sergeant Sheehan, who had charge of the huts. About the middle of January I received information that my hut had been "broken open, and on the 17th February I hr-ard that my things hail been stolen, also that someof them had been recovered. On the H'th of the same mouth 1 came to Auckland, and saw a quantity of my stolen property in the possession of the police ; there was a clock, value £1 10s. ; leather case, containing- masonic emblems, value .C 2 ; cash box, containing masonic, documents, the cash box worth 45.; 1 vol. J*unch, value 10s.; box of gloves, £l Is.: gold pen and case, £1; dressing gown, t):*; black cloth coat, £1 Is.; pair trowscrs and waistcoat, C 1 ; pair elastic side boots, (iOs. ; pair slippers, «3s. ; linen, 10s.; rille and shot pouch, £K 10s. ; fishing rod and case, £1 ; 1 velvet coat, .(J.'J .is. ; 1 coat, £ I 10s.; trousers, CI -Is.; shirts, I'js.; opera glass and case, l';j; pistol, 30s. ; patent regimental sword belt, oOs. ; 1 regimental sash, .Ci ; 1 cruet stand, IOs.; a quantity of regimental and private wearing apparel and linen, .Cl 10s. 3d. All the ai-tieles produced are mine, and were in the hut, and have been stolen from there between the Ist of January and the 10th February inst. I do not know the prisoner. $

Sheolmn, sworn, dopoaed : 1 ;nn a *iT"cant 2nd B:tt. lKth and am stationed at 11 ie c»unp, Otahuhu. 1 havts soon tiio prisoner before ; he wis fin oilicer's .sonant in l,]io -Militia stationed at Olahnhti. I know tin) last witness, he is a lient. in niv i.-iment; [ Know ho had soi,ie in the ollnvr.-;' in the (.imp, lust. No. •!!( ; (Jio ),ut wis in niv charge. I recollect the 9th instant, when I rceeived information that a i)uantity <>(' l,iouf. .lackson's clothes wen: in Dr. Nicholson's quarters. I'risoner was servant to Dr. Nicholson. [immediately went to the hut awl opened the door, when I found that a tie aYtick-s had been stolen. 1 then went to Dr. Nicholson's quarters, which adjoined tint hut where 1 he was lccpt, and entered llie jjart of (he louse where I believed the prisoner stopped, and toiunl a lot of clothes and other things with Lieut. Jackson's name on them. Upon leavin- ] put a guard on them, and went for the pol:eo, when I s-avo the whole pro]iortv into the custody of Const,alile N'e-us,, about the 'lath February. I did not see the prisoner at that time. The articles now produced are the ones I found in Dr. Nicholson's lint, and gave to the constable. T received a coat, similar to the "no now produced, from , Tames Cook, Otahuhu. which I »l<o gave lo Constable N r c;iUS ; i :.Uo got several other articles from the same man, as also' another, named Vernon, all iif which I handed ever to Nwrus. When I went to the hut. to -ue if the thijiSTS safe ] l'vund the

door loeked, and upon t'oimd thnt some nails had been taken out of tlio window snsh. I was Act-in# QuurU'rinask'r'd Sorgoant :il tlio camp ut Otahuhu.

Mary Cui'ti-s swovn, s(:iU\l : 1 rhi: wifo ol Thomas Curtis, ]>rivak' in the l.Sth Mutionrd at (>tahuhu. I know the prisoner, lie was servant to a Miliiia doctor at Otahuhu ; J)r. Nicholson nnus his nana;. About the middle of January he come lo niv house al Otahuhu, bringing wilh him a bag ol books, -M.vinii thai, they w ere gel ling mouhly in his room, mid wished me to put them out t«»air; he lel'l the books and went away. On the It J l February lie came a k, ain to niv bouse, bringing a eontaniing the articles now produced, which he left there ; the policeman now present took them away. I'risoucr said they were all hi.4 things, and that he was worlh bundretis of pounds. Hi; showed me a bill that lie sai«l he paid in London for tailoring alone, itsamomil was .L'2oo.

[Tiietcnaut Jackson lietv stated thai was his James Cook, deposed : Tain, acting storemau |nr Jli*. Long, at Otahulm Camp. 1 know the prist-ner. I have frequently seen him before. In January last he brought the pistol, opera glass, and oilier things now produced to the store, and asked me lo take care of them iill he ('ailed again ; he said he had been discharged from Hie militia. I told Sergeant Sjieehan upon hearing that an oliiecr had been robbed, what things the prisoner had left with me, and gave them to him, when he took them away. About the fth February I purchased the coat and gloves now produced from the prisoner, and also gave them to Sergeant .Sheehan. He tolil me that he had been a draper, and (hat ho had brought: it law chest of clothes from Victoria, and wanted to sell N>me ol them. I ga\e him tfUs. George Price deposed: 1 am residing with Mr. Long, at the Otahuhu ('amp. I know the prisoner. I lutvc seen hint at the cam]). About the 4th inM., he came to the store, stating thai lie had a quantity of clothes which lie had brought from Victoria, and wished me to buy sonic. I went with him to a hut in the camp, occupied by Dr. Nicholson. Heshowed me a elolhcs, and 1 bought goine. ! purchased the velvet coat, clothe, tishinii-rod and case now produced ; prisoner brought the articles \ purchased to the store for me. Upon hearing of the robbery I'went to Constable !Xegus and told him that I had some clothes which 1 purchased from the prisoner, and he came and took them. t saw a quantity of other clothes in the hut where I purchased the tilings : they wore in a box similar to that now produced in Court. The day after I bought the ylothcs, he brought the rille and shot pouch now produced, and asked me to take care of them. I gave them also io Constable Negus.

Aubrey Vernon stated : 1 belong to the 3rd \\ aikato regiment, stationed at the Otahuhu Camp. T know the prisoner, he was servant to Dr. 2wchoNon, camp doctor. ]le belonged to the Ist Waikato regiment. On the (sth instant- 1 saw him. in the canteen, and he olfered to sell id. 1 the coat ho had on : 1 bought it' the coat- now produced is the same. On the following Tuesday I heard that the prisoner Iffld committed a robbery, ami i delivered the coat to Sergeant Sheehan. The coat I bought from him in the canteen wa* not the .same one he dchvcied to me; the next day he brought me another one, which I touk instead. Constable William Negus, deposed: lam Constable stationed at Otahuhu. 1 know the prisoner. Jle was discharged from the Ist. Waikato Militia, oil the Ist instant. Th»' article* now produced I received from Airs. Curtis, Sergeant She han, and other partic* who haw been examined here. 'i'lcy were ntentitied by Lieutenant ♦Jackson as hi.* property last Saturdav. Thi' prisoner, why had t re:.icd the mMi- \ ery c.vdly throughout, wft- then eh:irg"d in the u-ual manner, and asked if he wished to say anything, lie said he *• had nothing to say."

1J e was i hen commit led to take hi?• trial at (he next criminal >e:>sioi:s of the Supreme Court, to he held on the !.-t March, for hircenv.

Mary -Ann Cox, Hridgi-! h'iug, James Yv'atson, William I'urns, AVilliam Costelo, and lloiiora Meiiralh, were each lined 2ll>. :uut costs or IS hours* hard labour. h»r drunk and disorderly. The latter woman, itonora Med rath, was sent to for nine days, it being her fourth oU'ence within the last thrrc mouths'.