POLICE COURT NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 13201, 12 June 1906, Page 7

POLICE COURT NEWS.

HORSE STEALING. ACCUSED COMMUTED FOE SENTENCE. A youth named Leslie Vickers was charged before Mr. it. W. Dyer, K.M.. at the Police Court yesterday with stealing two horses, a bridle, ami two legropes, valued at £35 4? 6d. the, property of Messrs. Win. and A. Stewart. Chief-Detective Marsack prosecuted, and Mr. Bait ley defended.

\\ illiam Stewart, a farmer residing at. llakain. stated that lx>th horses were left grazing in a paddock near witness' residence. They were stolen on May 30. On the same morning Mr. A. Stewart also missed a bridle ami two legropes. Mr. A. Stewart's horse was found at Warkworlli. and witness' at Auckland.

John Barton, Percy Atkins, and George Robin ion also gave evidence.

Detective John Holli-- produced a written confession made by the accused. The statement was to the effect, that the accused stole both horses, and after selling the draught horse he purchased a new suit of 'clothes, etc., paid for his board and lodging at an hotel, and then went to the races, where die-lost, the remainder of his money.

Accused pleaded guilty, and was committed for sentence.

THEFT OF A WATCH ANT) CHAIN'. Joseph Breniian. aged 70' year*, pleaded not guilty to stealing a watch and chain aud wo gold pendants, valued a; £15, the property of Charles Port eons. The complainant, a fish-direr, stated that he hung Ids "coat and vest up in a -bed in Fori-street, where be was employed, and when he went to put his coat anil vest on in the evening he found that the watch and chain were, gone. About two weeks after the watch was stolen a man came up to witness and .showed him the watch, chain, and pendant (produced). •John McLaren said that on April 30 the accused caught hold of him by the shoulder in Lome-street, and said, "Do you want to buy this?" (meaning the watch chain!. Witness asked the accused if tin- chain belonged to him. and he replied "Yes." lie (witness) then bought- the article from the accused for Z<.

Accused, who did not give evidence, was -eiil.-iK cd to six month.-.' imprisonment. DISORDERLY WHILE DRUNK. Henry fiowp, a young man, was charged with disorderly conduct while drunk, and also with assaulting a tram conductor, named l'eter_ Clen. Constable Doughelt said that the defendant, who was drunk, tried to mount a tram car on Saturday afternoon, and on tile conductor objecting, he struck him several blows in the face. Cl«n denied being .-truck, but .-rated that. Howe made several attempts to hit him, hut failed to do so. -Defendant did not give evidence. Mr. Dyer, in convicting the defendant, said tram conductors must he protected. On the first charge Rowe, was fined £5 and cost-, or in default one month's imprisonment, and on the second he was fined 10s. and cost? £] 2s, or in default 14 days' imprisonment, the. sentences lo be concurrent.

ASSAULT WITHOUT PROVOCATION. An elderly'man named William Jonglin pleaded, guilty to assaulting a nightwafehman named lienj. Parr. Sub-Inspector Cordon stated that while the defendant was going up the street ho struck the complainant in the face without any provocation. Mr. Dyer (to the defendant): You can pay a fine.can't you? Defendant : -Yes.- if it is not too big. (Laughter.) , , Mr. Dyer: Very well, you are fined £2 and costs, or in default 14 days' imprison-, ment.

SLY CROC PROSECUTIONS. No less than 36 persons were summoned in connection with the raid on sly grog houses in Auckland last Sunday week. The cases were adjourned until' Thursday after-, noon. MISCELLANEOUS. A Frenchman named Tl.mitue Gaston, charged with drunkenness, was fined ss. and costs 2s 6d, or in default 24 Lours' imprisonment. George Tvil, who did not appear, was charged ..with drunkenness and with wilfully damaging a bucket., valued at 7s 6d, tin.' property of the New Zealand Government. On the first charge Tvil was fined 17s 6d. and costs 2s 6d, and oil the second lie was lined 12s pd, and ordered to pay the cost of a now bucket, 7s 6d.

.Joseph R-eid, a young man, pleaded guilty to spilling offensive mailer in Queen-street, and was -fined £],' and costs 7s.

On the application of Sub-lnspectcr Cordon, .John Cooper was remanded for a week on a charge of deserting his wife at Zeohan, Tasmania.

Three first, offenders were each fined 5s and costs, or in default 24 hours' imprisonment, for drunkenness, and three others, who did not appear, were ordered to forfeit the amount of hail, £1,