LAW AND POLICE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVIII, Issue 8670, 12 September 1891, Page 3

LAW AND POLICE.

SUPREME COURT.—Criminal Sittings.

Friday. [Before His ilonor Mr. Justice Conolly.] Larceny from tiie Person. —The charge of larceny from the person against Samuel Wilcox and John Thomas Donovan, which had occupied the Court and jury the whole of the previous day, was resumed this morning. Mr. O'Meagher appeared for the prisoner Wilcox, and prisoner Donovan defended himself. Donovan had 011 the previous evening given evidence on his own behalf, and his cross-examination was deferred until this morning. Mr. Williamson now stated that he did nob propose to crossexamine the prisoner or to address the jury. Donovan addressed the jury on his own behalf, with a view of showing that ho had no complicity in the theft of the purse and money from the prosecutor, Mr. Hill, and that he did nob interfere with him in any way. lie commented on tho evidence as he proceeded, and dwelt on the fact that he was nob short of money. IHe had been to America with Jackson, tho pugilist, as trainer, and also as trainer of others from which ho derived largo profits as percentages of their : winnings, _ and: he brought fa largo '-sum of money with him to Auckland. His Honor summed up the caso to the jury, who retired at eleven o'clock, and returned in twenty minutes with a verdict of guilty on the seJbnd couut, that of receiving the property knowing ib to be stolen. Wilcox pleaded, in mitigation that it was his first offence, and that ho had already been three months in gaol. Donovan also pleaded for mitigation. Inspector Broham said Wilcox had not been previously convicted, and Donovan had only recently arrived from Victoria, where he was a well known offender. His Honor said it was a very bad case, and the jury would have been justified in returning a vcrdict of guilty of stealing, for there was very little doubt that the whole matter had been planned between them. They were each sentenced to 12 months* imprisonment with hard labour. His Honor also directed that tho £19 left by Wilcox with Mr. Brown for safe keeping be handed to tho prosecutor.