LAW AND POLICE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XVIII, Issue 6255, 3 December 1881, Page 6

LAW AND POLICE.

BANKRUPTCY.

Re George Makkik.—A meeting of creditors was held yesterday in this estate Ihe debtor is a cabinetmaker. The liabilities were set down at £320. with available assets nil. Mr. Thomas Macffarlane was appointed creditors' trustee.

POLICE COURT.— Fbiday. [Before J. E. Macdonald, Esq., K.M.] Droxken.n-ess.—Three persons were punished for drunkenness. The Charges Against Pi-Ummeh.— Fredk. Plummer (on remand) was charged with having no lawful visible means of support. Mr. Pardy said, as there were other more serious charges to be preferred against the prisoner, viz., two of sending threatening letters and three of housebreaking, in which the police had collected sufficient evidence to justify the Court in committing the accused for trial, he would ask for a further adjournment. In justice to the accused himself this was necessaiy, for he had only that morning been informed of the other charges against him. Plummer addressed the Court, and said that it was only that morning he was informed of the other charges, and he wished the charge of vagrancy adjourned. His Worship said that, as both were agreed on that subject, there was no difficulty about it. Mr. Pardy suggested an adjournment tiil Friday, but Plummer said he would be satisfied with an adjournment until Monday. Mr. Pardy said the prosecution would not then be ready, and he would like when the cases commenced to go right through itli them. Plummer said the charge of vagraucy would occupy the greater part of the day. He was suspected of being the party who committed the burglaries, and he would like to make a clean breast of it, and import more into the charge of vagrancy than Mr. Pardy appeared willing to do. The prisoner was then charged with feloniously sending a letter oa the 9th of October to Dr. Philson, demanding money with menace, and without any reasonable or probable cause. He was 2tlso charged with sending a similar letter to Mrs. Dobaon. Mr. Pirdy then applied for a remand on those cases. The evidence was very strong. The prisoner sent a little boy to Dr. Philson with a letter, demanding a a certain parcel containing money. The boy was only coining from school, and knew nothing of the contents of the letter, but prisoner instructed him to bring the parcel, which he would receive, to him. Mrs. Philson gave a boy the parcel, but it did not contain the money, and the boy took it to the prisoner at the Kyber Pass Road. Constable Jones was waiting when the boy came, and saw him give the prisoner the parcel, upon which he bolted through the fence, and ran down the gully towards the cemetery. He was seen by Dr. Philson's servant and another woman —a servant of Mr. Glover's —both of whom identified him. The writing had been examined by experts, and the similarity with other letters written by prisoner was so great as to leave no doubt on their minds that the handwriting was the same. He was not prepared to go on with the cases now, and would ask a longer remand than Monday. Plummer said he would wish to know the dates of these charges, as he believed he could prove an alibi. Mr. Pardy said every facility would be afforded to the prisoner for his defence, and His \\ orship said he would be furnished with copies of the informations. He remanded these cases until Monday week. Plummer asked to be allowed to look over a file of newspapers. — Prisoner was then charged with breaking and entering, on the 26th of June, the dwelling-house of Thomas Hazel, in Symonds-street, and stealing goods and money. He was further charged with breaking and entering the dwelling-house of Theo. Butterworth, Symonds-street, and stealing £4 16s in cash and a pair of boots. He was further charged with breaking and entering the dwelling-house of Arthur Hobbins "Wright, Symondsstreet, and stealing one package of cigars, Talue Is 6d, and one package of note paper, ralue ,andlSsinmoney. Mr.Cunningham asked what was the value of the paper, and prisoner himself supplied the defieieucy. He said the value was Is 9d. He had bought it and paid for it. He had great reasons for wishing that the charge of vagrancy might be gone cn with, although Mr. Pardy wished to Bhirk it. So much depended on it that the least that could be granted to him in the way of justice was to go on with it. They had not even given him a clean shirt since his arrest, and he had worn that he now had on for ten days. Mr. Pardy said that was an untruth, every kindness had been .shown to him since his arrest, and every application of his had been granted. He had been supplied with paper and peicus, and a policeman was told off to attend him when he wished for exercise. Ih fact he had the life of a gentleman since his arrest. His Worship then remanded the vagrancy case until Monday next, and the other more serious charges until Monday week.

c Attemped Suicide. —Bessie Morey, on emand, was charged with attempting to sommit suicide on the 21st inst., by jumping off th« Railway Wharf into the sea. Mr. Pardj said the accused when first brought beforo the Court nas charged -with being insane. There could be little doubt but that she -was not then in her right mind, and he did not see how they could proceed with the charge. She waa now recovered. She was discharged.

TVEFE-BE»TIKG AND DESERTION.—Richard Boryer traa charged-with assaulting Henrietta Boryer, hi 3 wife, by striking her on the head ■with Viia clenched fist. He was also charged with deserting his wife, and leaving her without adequate means of support. Mr.Laishley, for the defendant, pleaded not guilty to the first charge. As to the second charge, which was the real one, he would wish that gone on with. Mr. E. Cooper thought it best to take th% assault case first, as it would seriously affect the other case. His Worship said Sir. Cooper was master of the situation, but he thougnt if an order for maintenance was made, it might not be necessary to go into the other. Mr. Cooper then elected to go on with the second charge. Mr. Laishley pleaded not guilty. Mr. Cooper admitted that his client left her husband' 3 house, but I that he turned her out or told her to go, and she was obliged to leave in consequenoe of constant and continued ill-treatment and assaults, and she was afraid to live with him. Mrs. Boryer gare evidence to this effect, but His Worship not deeming it sufficient, Mr. Cooper withdrew the charge, and the complaint was dismissed. The charge of assault was then proceeded with. After hearing the evidence the case was dismissed.