POLICE COURT NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 13048, 13 December 1905, Page 7

POLICE COURT NEWS.

A PRACTICAL JOKE. Aechih Neville, a young man, was charged, before Mr. Tt. W. Dyer, S.M., at the. Police Court yesterday, with stealing a a gold .watch, valued at £15, from the person of William"'; Neary. Sub-Inspector Black 'prosecuted, and Mr. Hackett dofended. , "'■■■;■'",-.' • i : The complainant, a jockey, said he had I known the accused for ' about two -years.; ! On Monday evening witness- and accused were in the Queen's Ferry Hotel- having a drink. Witness took c- out his: watch to show it to the accused, arid' the latter snatched it, breaking the rings. Witness asked the accused Tor tho watch several limes, and the accused only!laughed, and 1 said,';■".. Ojvo! you nothing. 1 ' Witness told the accused ire would inform the police, but the accused took no heed. A constable* shortly afterwards came along, and witness gave the accused in charge. • • - ■' :;Cross-examined by Mr. Hackett, witness said he did not think the accused wanted to steal tho watch, but did not know why he took it. When the constable came up the accused took the watch out of his pocket. Constable Itoes said he met tho complainant } talking to the accused •in the street, and witness asked the accused if he had Neary's watch, and he replied, " Yes." Witness'then said, "You had better give it to me," and the accused handed it to witness, and said, ."It was all in fun, and don't make a) case out of it." Neary then gave the accused in charge. The complainant afterwards told witness that he would be satisfied if he got tho watch back. The Magistrate said it was undoubtedly an ■ improper thing to, snatch the - watch as the accused had done. - V- seemed, however, that nothing more than a practical joke had been intended, and he would therefore dismiss the case. CHARGE OF ATTEMPTED PROCU- _ : ' RATION. Helen Marks, a'middle-aged woman, was charged with attempted procuration, and with keeping a house of ill-fame in Unionstreet. -'Chief-Detective Marsack prosecuted, and Mr. J. R. Reed (instructed by Messrs. Parr and P.lomlielcl) defended. A sixteen-year-old girl stated that .011 November 24 she visited the accused's house,, on being informed . that she wanted a servant. The accused was out, but witness and another girl met her in the street, and she told witness and her companion to call on the following day. The accused said she wanted girls to work in the house. On the following day witness called, and the accused engaged her to work in the house (mostly in the kitchen). She was to receive £1 per week. Witness' companion called later in the day, and the accused also engaged her. On Sunday evening, November 26, while witness and her companion were iii the sittiugroom, the accused came into the room, and, after some remarks, ii man entered, and the "accused introduced the man to* witness and her companion. After some conversation witness asked the man as a gentleman to explain himself, and he made a few remarks, stating that the girls were quite right, and afterwards left. Another man came in, and the accused again requested witness to comply with a certain request, but she refused. 'Later in the evening the accused accosted> witness; and her' companion, angrily remarking, "Anyone would think rou were angels just dropped down from heaven." Witness and her companion expressed a wish to sleep together, as they were upset. When they retired the door was locked on the outside, and also the windows. When they tried to open the door about four a.m., 1 it was then locked, but/when they tried it again at seven a.m.it was unlocked. Witness and her companion remained in the room until nine a.m. Witness subsequently wrote, a letter by a resident of Union-street, who afterwards- come to take witness and her companion away. They left the accused's employment the same . day. -! Cross-examined by Mr. Reed, witness said she was 16 years and four months old. She had been at service for "-"about 18 months.; On: two occasions there was a.' quarrel between men outside Mrs, Barnes' house (where witness was once employed) over witness. Witness was of an hysterical nature. On one occasion witness was screaming in the night. and Mr. Barnes came into the room, and witness told him that a man named Smith had been in her bedroom. She did not hear anybody unlock the room door, although she was almost sure that she Was awake. Witness was' quite sure the. man (called for identification) was the man who visited the room on > the first occasion. The window must have been fastened ' from outside. Re-exanjined by Chief-Detective Marsack, witness said she had never misconducted herself. Another young woman, aged 21 years, companion of the last witness, gave corroborative evidence. .At this stage the case was adjourned until this afternoon. ALLEGED THEFT OF MONEY AND GOODS. Agnes Eckart, a well-dressed young woman, was charged with stealing, at Wellington, £30 in cash, a quantity of household goods, valued at £20, and four packing cases, valued at ±U, the property-of Arthur Selby. , On the application of Chief-Detective Marsack, a remand was granted for the accused to appear at Wellington in eight. days' time. Bail was allowed the accused in £100 and two sureties of £50 each. , CHARGE OF STEALING CLOTHES. *" John Pain, a young man, was charged with stealing a coat and vest, valued at 5s 6d, the property of Ada Freestone. On the application of Chief-Detective Marsack, a remand was granted for a week. .: Bail was allowed in two sureties of £50 each. /MISCELLANEOUS. George Ernest Shave, who did not appear, was ordered to contribute 15s per week towards the maintenance of his wife. The complainant said sue had been married three years, and during that period her husband had not contributed anything ; towards her support. When her husband was working he could earn 8s per day. David Crosland, who pleaded guilty to using obscene language in Symonds-slreet on December 5, and who was remanded for medical treatment, was brought up for sentence. ■;.; After considering the medical officer's report, tho magistrate convicted tho accused, and ordered him to come up for sentence when called upon. Daniels was charged with drunkenness (a fifth offence). lie pleaded guilty, and said his reason for getting drunk was that he had a sick head. He said, Give me another chance, and I won't get. drunk again, and if Ido put me in for 12 months." The magistrate said, " I assure you that you won't get any drink for some time. You arc sentenced to two months' imprisonment.'" ; Daniels: "Two months too long, good gracious. No line''' Ono first offender was fined ss, and costs 2s 6d, in default 24 hours' imprisonment, for drunkenness. / ■