LAW AND POLICE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XVIII, Issue 5998, 7 February 1881, Page 6

LAW AND POLICE.

' POLICE COURT.—Saturday. [Before K. C. Barstow, Esq., E.M.] Drcnkenness.—Six persons were punished for first offences, and John Leonard, for a third offence, was sentenced to 7 days' imprisonment with hard labour. He also admitted assaulting Constable O'Connor, for which he was sentenced to a month's imprisonment. Assault.—John Piteon was charged with assaulting Jane Harrington, by striking her on the face aud eyes with his clenched fist. Mr. Tyler, for the defendant, pleaded not guilty. Witnesses were ordered out of Courr. The prosecutrix, whose face bore traces of frightful usage, deposed that she was a washerwoman, residing in Chapelstreet, and defendant was a neighbour. On Tuesday last she met the prisoner and his wife, and, as she was passing, she said " Oh, this is Mr. Pitcon, who threatened to go for me a week ago," upon which he hauled off and struck her, aud caught her by the ' throat, and knocked her down. She was senseless for some time, and when she looked around the prisoner was gone. Crossexamined : She had come out of the Alexandra Hotel, buc was not drunk, and had not been quarrelling with anyone in the hoisl. She did not use abusive language to him, and tuck up her sleeves to fight him, and strike him on the shoulders. She denied that she spoke to defendant's wife or abused

her. She had not spoken to the woman for six months. Charles Farrell deposed that he had yone to Mrs. Harrington's for his washing,, and he stayed there for some time for Mrs. Harrington, who was out. He went to meet lier, and met her uear the Alexandra Hotel. He heard Mrs. Harrington say to prisoner that he was going to go for her, but he went 011 honie, and did not see the row. Mrs. Harrington was quite sober. Mrs. Bailey deposed that 011 the evening of the Ist she was in Chapel-street to pay Mrs. Harrington for her washing, but she did not see the row. She had heard [the prisoner, three weeks before threaten to choke her. James Harrington, a boy 10 years of age, son of the prosecutrix, was called and examined as to the nature of an oath, after which he was sworn and corroborated the evidence given by his mother. He denied that his mother had given the defendant or his wife any provocation. Mrs. Brennan deposed that she heard screams, and saw the defendant beating the prosecutrix. She told him that he was a coward to beat a woman like that, so the defendant's wife took him away into witness's house to hide him. This was the case for the prosecution. The defence was that defendant was standing with his wife when prosecutrix came up drunk, and asked where her child was. The defendant said he was not there, upon which she opened a volley of abuse at him, and struck him twice. He pushed her away. She then attacked his wife, using most offensive language. He pushed her away, and her feet caught on her dress, upon which she fell on her back and then rolled over 011

her face. The defendant then gave his version of the affair as explained by Mr. Tyler. There had been a quarrel a fortnight before between the children, and prosecutrix wanted him to fight, but lie declined.' Mrs. Ryan, who was in company with Mrs. Pitcon and defendant when Mrs. Harrington came up, deposed that her conduct and language were most violent, and challenged defendant to fight. Witness then went away, and saw nothing more, as she thought there would be a row. Mrs. Pitcon, the wife of the defendant, corroborated her husband's statement. His Worship, however, held that the injuries must have been inflicted by blows from the fist. It was palpable they could not have been inflicted in any other way. He considered the conduct of the defendant brutal, and he ordered him to be imprisoned and kept to hard labour for three months. Larceny. —Matilda Jones was charged with stealing £22, the property of some person unknown. Sergeant Gamble said the money was found in the possession of the prisoner, which she said she found. He asked for a remand, to unable the police to find the man who lost the money. The case was remanded for a week. False Pretences.—John Purcell, on remand, was charged with obtaining, by false pretences, the sum of £400 from Thomas YVells Marsh. Mr. Thorne, iu this case, said this was only one of a number of cases, and he had to ask for a remand, as there would be two cases of forgery against him, as well as a charge of fraudulent bankruptcy. Mr. Browning, who appeared for prisoner, did did not object, but applied to have the prisoner admitted to bail. His Worship said lie would have to order substantial bail. He ordered bail, himself in £200 and two sureties of £100 each.