LAW AND POLICE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XVIII, Issue 6064, 25 April 1881, Page 5

LAW AND POLICE.

\ 7 POLICE COURT.—Satokdat [Before K-. C. Barstow, Esq., It. M.J Dkdnkknnkss.—Mary Burke pleaded not guilty, and, as the arresting constable was not present, the case was remanded. Ellen McLean, for habitual drunkenness, was sentenced to three months' imprisonment with hard labour. Vagrancy.—Mary McGrath, for using , obscene 'language in Nelson Terrace, and for being drunk, was fined 20s and costs, or, in . default, forty-eight hours' imprisonment for the latter offence, and for the obscene language she was fined 40s and costs, or, in default, a month's imprisonment with hard labour. Broaching Catlgo ox the Ship Oxford. —John Beckenham, John Gibson, Louis Dapin, John Clement, Albert Cox, \V. C. Newton, Frederick Manning, Thomas Bredwood, Daniel Knoffel, Wra. Lalli, William Nelson, Gustav Harder, and — "\V ilson, all seamen, were charged with feloniously stealing property oil board the ship Oxford on the voyage from London to Auckland. Mr. Laishley appeared for the defence. Captain Braddick deposed that he had made a search amongst the cargo since the accused were remanded, and ascertained that a very large amount of goods had been stolen, larger than he had anticipated, amounting altogether to about £100 worth, consisting of whisky, gin, preserved meats, fish, &c. These goods were received in good order and condition in London. Henry James, the second mate, deposed that shortly after leaving London, on the 2nd of December, he found something wrong with the cargo. Cases of sardines and pickles had been interfered with, and he had them removed to the fore hatch. Subsequently he missed gin and marmalade, and found broken eases which had contained shirts, candles, See. Access must have been obtained through the fore hatch, which was left open. He identified some of the shirts produced as being a portion of those stolen. He complained to the captain. Cross-examined : The hatches were not locked until after the theft was discovered. A padlock in the fore hold was broken, but he was not aware that it was broken by a falling chain. The carpenter also found the look broken, but could not say how it happened. Alfred Bowling, third mate, remembered taking some seamen down the hold to do some work, when they had. an" opportunity of seeing what was there. He never saw but one passenger, a Mr. Bell, down in the hold. Thomas Henry Piatt, steward of the ship, deposed to purchasing some shirts from Wilson and another sailor, but on hearing that they had been stolen from the cargo he gave them up. Louis Claudit, a passenger, said he had been very familiar with the sailors, but ceased to visit them by the advice of the captain after the 19th of January. This w;is after it had been discovered that the cargo was broached. He did not tell Detective Brennan he saw the sailors have marmalade. He did not see any of the cargo—pickles, fish, &c. —in the forecastle. Udo Ohling, a seaman, deposed that one night when on watch he saw two men come out of the hold, and two or three others helped to haul up two cases. He did not rccoguise them as it was too dark, but Harden, one of the accused, spoke to him afterwards, and asked him whether he had seen anything. He re- | plied yes, and Harden then asked him would he like a couple of tins of sardines, or this of ; milk. He refused both. Gibson afterwards gave him a tin of sardines, which he ate. Beckenham also offered him a tin which he refused, as he thought something was wrong. He saw the other men eating sardines, fish, &c. N. Ohling, brother of the last witness, received the tin produced from Louis, which he gave to the chief mate. He saw the others eating sardines, jam, &c., and Gibson told him they were from the cargo. John j Christopher, shipping clerk to Brown, Barrett, and Co., deposed that the firm received a consignment of sardines and preserved milk, and out of 40 cases of sardines two were missing, also two cases of preserved milk out of 40. Sergeant Martin, who arrested the prisoners, deposed to finding in their possession the shirts produced. M illiam ■ Say deposed that he gave the shirt found on Wilson to him in exchange for another. He had bought it from Harder. Wilson was discharged, andtiie remaining prisoners were remanded till Wednesday, when they will be brought up for sentence.