LAW AND POLICE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XV, Issue 5173, 15 June 1878, Page 6

LAW AND POLICE.

POLICE COURT.—Friday. [Before U, C. Barstow, Esq., K.M.I

Drunkenness.— Four persons, including two women, were punished for having been drunk. —Thomas Harris, charged with having be«n drunk and disorderly, pleaded not guilty. Dr Cooper, House Surgeon at the Hospital, deposed that the accused was absent without leave, and on his return he created a disturbance, and assaulted the night nurse. He sent lor the police and had hini removed. The accused was drunk. Constable Madden, who brought the accused to the station, said that the man w,«s suife:in» from the effects of drink when he look him in charge. He evidently had been drinking. His Worship found him guilty, and sentenced him to pay a fine of 20s and costs, or in default 4S hours' imprisonment with hard labour. The Alleged Poisoning Case.—Archibald Campbell, on remand, was charged with administering a dose of arsenic to one JVnn h. Smith, at Blockhouse Bay, Whau, on the 4tk inst., with intent to kill and murder the said John B. Smith. Mr. Pardy said that every effort had been made by the police to clear up this mystery. Detective Jeffrey and Constable Bullen were scouring the count! y in search of another man, who was supposed to be connected with the affair. The Sub-Inspector then stated the facts, which have aire i iy been published. He said that two attempts had been made to poison this man, and he would ask for a further adjournment of the case, as they were very anxious to get the other man. Detective Jeffrey had returned to town, having traced him to several places, but was unable to come up with him.—Case adjourned till this day week. Wandering Goat.—Benjamin Gilniour was charged with allowing a goat to be at large in Hepburn-street. Mr. Laishley, for the defendant, pleaded guilty. Fined ss, and Os OJ costs. Careless Driving. -Thomas Mankcrill was charged with driving round the corner of and Victoria-streets at other than a walking pace. He admitted the offence, and was nned 5s and costs. Putrid Phjeasaxt.— John Tucker was charged with having sold a dead pheasant which was in a putrid state, and unlit for human food, to Mazellah Scott, on the 7th inst. Mr. Hesketh, for the defendant, pleaded not guilty. The plaint was laid under the Auckland Municipal Police Act. Mr. Pardy stated the circumstances. The prosecutor bought the pheasant from the defendant, and on bringing it home he farad it rotten, and on returning it to Mr. Tucker, and drawing his attention to it, he only got abused. Mazellak (Professor) Scott deposed that he bought two pheisants from the defendant for 6s, and had them taken to his lodgings. When they were being prepared for cooking they were stinking, and maggots were crawling over them. He sent the birds back to Mr. Tucker, and saw him afterwards, but Mr. Tucker gave him n» satisfaction, and witness brought the pheasants to the Police-station. Cross-ex-amined : These were the first pheasants he had bought in this country, but prior to that he had eaten many pheasants. He would not like to eat a bird which had been shot eight days. He told Mr. Tucker he did not want "•gamey'or " high" fowls, but fresh ones, and Mr. Tucker said these were fresh, and had only been us about half-an-hour. They kept one of the birds, but even that was tainted, aud did aot suit him. Abraham Bowden. who took the birds and gave them to Mr. Thompson at Quick's stables, was examined. He also took the birds to Professor Scott's lodgings, and sav the birds. The one was very green, and quite unfit for human food. He did not eat any of the birds. John Thompson was also examined. Martha Bowden deposed that she tried to pluck the birds. She said one of them was full of maggots, and falling to pieces. It smelled very bad. and was perfectly putrid. The other was ■' hkh," but was fit to cook. She had considerable experience in cooking pheasants as well as other dishes. She had at least 31 years' experience as a ciok in England and the colonies. Sergeant-Major Mason deposed that he examined the pheasant brought to the station. It was very green and maggoty, and smelled badly. For the defence John Cassrels, manager at St. Mungo's Cafe, who had 25■ years' experience here and at house, deposed that he had seen thousands of pheasants cooked. He would not think of cooking a pheasant before it was a week dead. They would be insipid and worse than fowl if cooked sooner. He had often seen in picking a pheasant in the ordinary way it would almost fall to pieces, and yet it was undoubtedly ri: to eat. Some liked high pheasant and u.i'.d XX. He had not seen that bird. He would not cook pheasants if they were putrid or rotten, but he would when they stunk. Joseph Cowsell remembered bunging four brace of birds to Mr. Tucker on Frid.y from East Tamaki. They were shot on Wednesday, by a young man who was staying at his place. He did not see him shoot them, but he went out without any, and leturned with those. John Tucker, the defendant, deposed that when Mr. Scott came to purchase the pheasants there were none in the shop but those brought by last witness. He supplied Mr. Scott with a brace. They were in thorough good condition. They were only in the shop from 20 ruinates to half-an-hour. He would have been glad to eat it himself after it was brought back by Mr. Scott, and, had it not been partly plucked, he would have returned the money for it From the appearance of the birds, he could say that they were not killed earlier than the Wednesday. Edward Lawrence, butcher, deposed he had handled many dead pheasants in Auckland during the last three years, and was able to form a judgment as to how many days a pheasant would be shot before it would be unwholesome. It would be fit to eat seven days after it was killed. There was always a discoloration where the shot penetrated. It was black first, and then green, and when opened, after being three or four days nuns, they emitted a strong stench. Fdes will get at pheasants, and leave tiny maggots the day they are shot. Thomas Smith, a cook ot 30 years'standing, was also examined, and deposed that in nice weather, not too mug = *y, the pheasant would stand six, seven, or eight days, and in mugsy weather about five days. They would smell about the entrails and where ! the shot got in the day after tbey were killed, and the smell would be stronger in three days. His Worship said that last winter he had pheasants which stood for 10 days. In this instance, although the pheasant was unpalatable, there was no proof that they were unwholesome, and he must dismiss the case. Obstructing the Koad.— John Thomas w;is* charged with obstructing the footpath in Fortstreet. He did not appear. Constable I»ver proved the case. The obstruction wis a k>*J ot stones which were shot in a heap. Mr. C lUl => 3 trap was nearly upset, also a cab, and the Destruction was such as to endanger life. George Wilson, the employer of Thomas, was present, and said he had evidently neglected to knock the top off the heap. Fined 20s, and 10s od costs. Wandering Horse. — Peter Smith was charged with allowing a horse to wander. Peter did not appear. Sergeant Jackson proved the case, and a fine of ss, and Ss costs was inflicted.