LAW AND POLICE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 10595, 9 November 1897, Page 3

LAW AND POLICE.

, POLICE COURT.— Monday. I [Before Mr. 11. W. Brabant, S.M.). The Illicit Still CASE.-James McAmmoD, on remand, was charged with having been found in possession of an illicit still at Puhipulii, whereby he rendered himself liable to forfeit the sum of £500. When the accused was before the Court last week he , was charged with having been found in possession of and working an illicit still, Ihe Hob. J. A. Tole, Crown'solicitor, applied for a further remand- for eight days, as the prosecution was / not quite prepared to go on. f: McAmmon demurred at such a long ' remand,, and said he had already been about a- week in custody. His Worship decided to grant a remand till Friday, and said a further remand could then be granted if required. v - Jack 'Ashore-John Craig, a seaman on the American trading barque Clan McLeotl, pleaded guilty when charged with having assaulted John Doyle, a sailor, on the barque Excelsior, and with having used obscene language in a public place.. . Doyle, the injured man, was in Court, and _ presented a very patched• appearence.; His Worship sentenced the accused to .one month on each charge, sentences to run concurrently. v Alleged .Theft.—Three young men named respectively Edward Barrett, win. Rhodes, and Arthur McKeown, pleaded not guilty- to a charge of having ou or about October 30th last stolen.twelve shirts, worth £2, : from ,the shop of Alfred Moore, hatter, eta/'Karangahaps Road, Mr. ' Jackson Palmer appeared for the accused Rhodes, and Mr. Napier for Barrett and McKeown. Sergeant : Clarke prosecuted.y Evidence for the prosecution was given by Alfred Moore, James Hays, Frederick Vincent, Thomas Mazzolini, and' Constables . Douthett and Johnston. , The witness Hays said he was standing opposite Moore's about ten p.m. on the night of the 30th October, and saw three men with McKeown. • They (the three men) snatched the shirts and ran down a lane close by. McKeown followed, but did not take the shirts. The other accused were not with McKeown.' Constable Johnston stated he found one of the shirts in a box hidden under a . stable down the lane close by Moore a. He waited to see if anyone would come for it, and" about a couple of hours later a man went to the box, pulled 3 the shirt out, and put it under his coat. .Witness gave chase, and caught the accused,' Rhodes. 7 Not nndiig the shirt on him. witness did not arrest the man at the time. The shirt was afterwards found in the street down which Rhodes ran. Vincent said he thought'the man that took the shirts was McKeown. As there was no evidence to connect Barrett with the affair, His Worship ordered him to be discharged. Counsel called their clients to give evidence on their own behalf. Barrett denied that he or McKeown went down the lane an all. McKeown denied stealing the shirts, and said he did ' not see any stolen.' Rhodes denied taking the shirt from under the stab He ran away from the constable because he thought he ■ was, being : ehased by "sandbaggers." William : Morrison deposed that Rhodes was in his oompany from about half-' past nine till about eleven p.m. on the night in question.*- Rhodes' , father anda witness a3 toi character, were also examined. . His Worship said there was ; a doubt in his mind after hearing the'evidence f as to whether , it was McKeown or one of the several young men standing outside the shop who took the shirts. v Rhodes bore a good character and it was just \ possible . that the ; constable . had made a mistake as to the.man he had followed. • Both accused,were then discharged. £ : The Licensing Act,—-Frederick Chamber-, lain was charged with f having on Sunday, October; 24, > failed to r leave the < licensed premises known as the Shakespeare Hotel, upon being ;requested'-- so to do. _ Evidence was ■: given jby the «, licensee of the hotel and ? two < constables. His Worship said it was clear that Chamberlain had committed a breach of the Act, and lined mm 103 with costs.. _ • . , ".' £• ,' i Adjoursed.— The hearing of a charge of theft ; against 'Henry St/ George Sloan was adjourned till Thursday next. Traffic By-laws.—Quinton James Betes*'1 ford was fined ■ 103 ,with'.costs, for failing to keep his' hackney carriage" lamps : properly lighted on November 2nd after sunset.'; v : a ! . Fool < Chimney. - Thomas;; Kemp, the owner of premises in which a chimney accidentally caught fire, was ordered to pay a fine 0 Is.