LAW AND POLICE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XIX, Issue 6566, 2 December 1882, Page 6

LAW AND POLICE.

POLICE COURT.— Friday. [Before .1. E. Micdonald, Esq , R.M.I Assault and Indecent Language.— Thomas Brister was charged with assaulting James Wilson, also with making use of obsceue language in a public place. Defendant pleaded guilty. He was proprietor of the coffee stall in Queen-street. The man not only struck him first, but at his food, and did not pay for it, and when he asked for payment Wilson struck him. He had no recollection at all of using the bad language complained of. Sergeant White said the expressions made use of were filthy in the extreme, and asked the Court to hear the evidence. Evidence havirjg been given. His Worship held that the charges were proved, and a fine of 20s and costs was imposed in each case, with the alternative of seven days' imprisonment. Costs were allowed to the prosecutor and the witness Pearson. Disobedience to Obpf.us. — Richard RyaD, a seaman on board the Golden Isle, scliooner, was charged with wilful disobedience to lawful commands on board that vessel. He pleaded not guilty. Thomas Carmichael, master of the Golden Isle, produced the ship's articles, signed by the defendant yesterday at five o'clock. Byan wanted to go ashore, but witness refused permission, upon which defendant tried to get down into the cabin, and when ordered to go forward he refused. Defendant said ho wanted to go ashore to get his tea, but the captain said he had his tea, and the man had been very troublesome. The defendant said not only did he not cet tea, but he had a very poor dinner, and this frequently happened at Suva, and on the voyage to Auckland. His Worship said, instead of sending him to gaol for disobedience, he would give him a chance to behave himself, and ordered him to return on board the vessel. Illkcali.y os the Premises.—James May was charged under the Vagrant Act with being found by night without lawful excuse in the dwelling-housn of R. Frederick Luks. The accused said he knew nothing about it. Mr. .Luks, proprietor of the Victoria Hotel, deposed that ho found tho defendant in bed in one of the bed-rooms. He had neither asked for nor engaged a bed. The room was occupied by two travellers, and their clothing and parcels were lying about. One of them at eleven o'clock complained to witness that there was a man in the room. The defendant refused to leave, and bad to be put out by force, and he had vomitted about tho room. The excuse given by the man was that he was drunk, and wanted a bed, and he went to bed in a hotel. There was no evidence that he was there for any other purpose than going to bed. He was discharged, but cautioned against trying such an experiment again. Window Brkaki v o. — Marcaret Moore was charged with wilfully breaking a pane of class valued 2a. the property of William Isaac Speight, Parnell. Mr. Tyler for the defence pleaded not guilty. Witnesses were ordered out of Court. Caroline Speight, daughter of the plaintiff, deposed that when sitting in the room a stone was thrown through the kitchen window, and on going out «ho saw the defendant walking on to the footpath. Mrs. O'Sullivan was standing at her own door, and abrut 25 yards distant, and could sec what took place. It was about ten o'clock, a bright moonlight night. Margaret O'Sullivan deposed to seeing defendant thvowthestoneihroughthe window, and then run away after her husbaud, who was about 20 yards ahead of her. William I?aac Speight also gave evidence. Tho defence was a total denial of the charpe. The defendant and her husband, George Washington Moore, gave evidence. Her evidence was that she was walking home with 1 er husband, and when at the corner of the street some bovs called out " Here comes the mad woman !" She caught one, but let him go again. One. of the boys was Mr. Speight's son. She did not throw a stone, nor think of doing such a thinjr, but walked home arm-in-arm with her husband. Her husband fully corroborated this evidence. Miss Speight was recalled, and stated that her brother was in bed at tho time the stone was thrown. Mr. Tyler drew the attention of the Court to the fact that tho information was laid under the Auckland Municipal Police Act, and that had not been put in evidence, neither had the proclamation bringing it into force in tho district of Parnell. Sergeant White said he was under the impression the information had been laid under the Wilful Destruction of Property Act, but in any case the Act was so frequently before the Court that it would not be necessary to produce it on every occasion. The defendant was discharged without costs.Assault.—Charles Hopkins was charged with assaulting John McKenzie by stiiking liim on the face with his clenched fist. The summons had not been served, and it was altered to Monday morning. Larceny.—Thomas and Arthur Hewson, son and father, were brought up on two charges of larceny, as follows :—l. Stealing 441bs. of lead and a closet-pan, valued at £5, the property of William Stevens. 2. Ster.ling 141bs. of lead piping, the property of Messrs. Binney and Chadwick. Thomas Hewson, the younger prisoner, pleaded jruilty, and Arthur Hewson not guilty. The second charge was taken firet. Frederick W. Paul, commission aget. deposed that he acted for Mr. Binney, from whom the elder prisoner rented a place in Eden Crescent. Witness went to the house with Detectives Brennan and Jones, and found that a quantity of piping had been torn down. The paper on the lead piping produced corresponded exactly -with that on the wall of the house from which the piping had been torn down. "Witness had never been in that portion of tho house before. ActingDetective Jones was examined. The prisoner admitted having sent the boy with the kit containing the pipe to sell it. The elder prisoner said he only gave the boy about a pound and a half o t e lead. The boy could explain where'he got the lead. Edwin Knight, storenian to Mr. Parker, plumber, deposed that the younger prisoner brought the lead pipe in a'kit with a note, " Please buy the lead pipe from my son.—Johnson, Parnell." In consequence of having been spoken to by the detectives he detained the boy and the kit, and handed them over to the police. He had previously bought lead from the boy, believing that he was sent by his father. Detective Brennan also gave evidence. The boy, whose age is between 13 and 14 years, made a statement exonerating his father. His Worship held tho charges proved, and sentenced the father to a month's imprisonment, but not thinking the boy responsible he was discharged. OTAHUHU R.M. COURT.—TmisPAY. (ISefore Mr. .lohn Cordon .iad Mr. S. Luko, .T.P.'s) A prohibition order was granted against Samuel Bright, of Rinmure, uader the lb'Tth clause of the Licensing Act, upon tho application of his wife, Mary Bright. Andrew Austin, of One-Tree Hill, was charged by Constable Walker, under the Vagrant Act, for using insulting and provoking language on the public highway, to wit, the Mangare-road, on the niglit of the 15th instant. It appeared that on the night in question Mr. Johns, and Austin and his party of five, accidentally met at the Raglan Hotel, Great South-road, and some words arose out of a question of c bet of 2s Gil that was alleged to bo due hy Johns to one of the party, named Dcneizc. After leaving the iiotel on their way towards Otahuhu, their feelings cooled down, and they went well until they came to Nixon's monument, when Mr. Johns turned oIT to go home, but the party did not seem to relish this, because, as they stated, Johns hadagrecd to "shout" the 2a 6d at the Criterion. This Mr. Johns denied, and s-vrore that Austin rode after him down the Mangcreroad some distance, and challenged him off his horse, at the same time using very foul language. The Bench was of opinion that the weight of evidence was against the prosecution, and dismissed the case. Win. Thompson, rather a rough looking character, was charged with stealing '20* C)i\ out of the till o: the Panmure Hotel, i'anlnure, on the 27th inst. The prisoner pleaded guilty, and was sent for three months to Mount Eden, with bard labour. Watson' y. W. Lockhap.t (Judgment Summons). —Adjourned till the 10th December. Toms v. J. J. Howk.—Claim :£1 18s Cd. Ordered to pay on or before the lilth December, or take 7 days in Mount Men.