THE FRENCH ESCAPEES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXV, Issue 9047, 7 May 1888, Page 5

THE FRENCH ESCAPEES.

CtnkY and Gasperini, the French escapees, were again brought before the Police Conrt on Saturday morning, on a charge of stealing the cutter Martinet from Noumea Harbour, New Caledonia.

Mr. Williamson appeared for the prosecution, and Mr. Napier on behalf of the prisoner Cury.

Mr. Williamson said he proposed to aak for permission to take the evidence of Henry Collingwood, of the barque Howard, after which he would ask for a remand, as tho foreign warrant issued at New Caledonia under section 10 of the Act had not yet arrived. Owing to the infroquency of communication between Sydney and Noumea, some five or six weeks would elapse before the arrival of the warrant, and an officer to take charge of the prisoners.

. M. Peltzer acted as interpreter, and Mr. Williamson called,

Henry Collingwood, who deposed that he was the first officer of the barque Howard. On the 14th of March last that vessel was bound from Queensland to Helensville, and on that day they picked up the prisoners at sea. At six o'clock on the morning of the 14th he sighted a boat at the eastward ; he stopped the ship, as he thought they were shipwrecked people. The boat was alongside at half-past eight in the morning, and he asked bho prisoners in the French language if they required assistance, bub bo this the prisoners made no reply. Their boat was hauled alongside the gangway, and Cury clambered up the gangway ladder, when, at the request of the captain, witness asked the men whether they were convicts. The prisoners replied "No." Witness asked accused what was their pro fession, when they replied, "Oyster fishermen." The prisoners were then allowed to come on board. The boat in which the prisoners were was half-decked, of New Caledonia wood, between seven and ten tons register, and cutter-rigged, painted black, and without any name. There was no appearance of there having been a name on the boat. In the boat there were several cooking utensils, a stove, anchor and chain, several old clothes, 201b of ship's biscuits, three gallons of brackish water, and various ship's equipments. The mainsail and jib were set. They took out of the boat mainsail, jib, three oars, rowlocks, and anchor and chain, and scuttled the boat, the prisoners making no objection. Witness recognised the mainsail produced as that of the boat. The Howard was 27 deg. S. latitude, about 400 miles from the coast of New Caledonia, and 300 miles off the Australian coast; and the vessel reached the New Zealand coast ten days afterwards. The barque went to Kaipara, and accused remained on board until the 31st March, when the barque arrived at Helensville. Tho prisoners wished to see the French consul, and witness bold them that the Magistrate at Helensville would take charge of them. About 9 o'clock some person, whom witness took to be a magistrate, came on board, but he did not interview the prisoners then. The prisoners were told that the Magistrate would come in the morning to see them, and that night the accused went to bed in' the engine-room, and the next morning | they had gone, and were not on board the ship. During the time the men were on board the captain was very kind to them. Cross-examined: The prisoners were not requested, when they boarded tho Howard, to say whether they had any passports.

The evidence was read to the witness, whose examination had occupied more than an hour.

Mr. Williamson applied for a remand for eight days, on the grounds already stated. Mr. Napier said he would object to any further remand, unless some evidence was given to show that it was a necessary step. He submitted that, as yet, no evidence had been given connecting the prisoners with the larceny.

The Bench remanded tho case until Monday, the 14th instant.