POLICE COURT NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 13285, 18 September 1906, Page 7

POLICE COURT NEWS.

ALLEGED FORGERY.

At the Police Court yesterday, before Mr. C. C. Kettle, 8.M., a middle-aged man named John Black was charged with .forging a receipt by altering tho amount from £1 to £4, and also with uttering the same to Jas. Reid. ■ ■ 'Chii^f-Detective Marsack prosecuted and Mr. A. K. Slkelton defended. .Tames Reid, ft boa (builder, said that in July, 1905, he sold accused a boat for £26, accused paying £10 on account, and promising the rest in instalments. Two pounds ten shillings was still owing on August 4, and accused contended that, he had paid the whole amount and produced receipts in support of his statement. These included the receipt produced, on which some strokes of the pen had been added to convert the £1 into £4. Witness had since sued Black for the balance. Ilenry Wilding, private inquiry agent and expert in handwriting, said tho cheque produced was brought to him and lie found that it had been altered from £1 to £4, by the addition of two strokes. Detective Ilollis said that he arrested accused 011 the 13th inst. 011 a warrant and accused declined to make a statement. He afterwards said: "Some time ago Mr. Reid asked mo to pay him £2 10s which 1 owed him, and I told him I would go homo and get my receipts, and I found that I had paid him 10s too much. Mr. Reid summoned me for the money, and I told m.v father-in-law he had better go and pay it as I had not been in Court before." He also said,that he did not. alter the receipt. This closed the case for the prosecution. When formally charged, accused said: "I am not guilty," and was committed for' trial. Bail was allowed in two sureties of £25 each, ■or We of £50. « VAJiLINO TO ACCOUNT FOB .TF.WEL- " LERY. (jiiaham Carr pleaded guilty to a charge ot having received a muff chain, gold ring, a brooch, and a pendant from Flora Smith on terms requiring him to account for the same and having fraudulently omitted to do so. Mr. Singer pleaded guilty 011 behalf, of the accused, and asked for probation. ' •• Chief-Detective Marsack said tho accused was stopping at the same boardinghouse as tho complainant. She had asked him to see what valuation the pawnbrokers would place 011 the jewellery. He took the articles and afterwards told her he could get £5 10s for them, and she refused to part with them for that amount, and asked for them back. Accused told her that he had the articles locked up. He subsequently disappeared without returning the articles. The magistrate remanded the accused for the probation officer's report. OBSCENE LANGUAGE: • Thomas Bowden, a cabdriver, defended by Mr. J. R. Reed, pleaded not guilty to a charge of using obscene language. 'Detective McCartney, in evidence, stated that the accused used the language in conversation with other men after the Grey-street fire 011 Saturday night. The language was used in a loud voice. & » • The defendant 011 oath denied using the language complained of. All he said wni " Lor' bli me, the old man thought' mOre of his clothes than his life." These remarks were made after he had saved tho life cf an old man from .the fire on Saturday night 111 Grey-street, , " - s ■, .Mr. Reed remarked that the accused was in an unfortunate position, inasmuch as ho had to deny using that language. Up ''J', ?' x . weeks ago ho was in the employ of his father, but had got entangled with a woman, and was before the Court last week. Two of the accused's friends, who were in his company, said they, did not hear the accused use obscene language. The 'Magistrate said there was a certain amount of conflict, of testimony. Ho pointed out that the accused and his friends were excited at. the time. It. would have been sufficient in the circumstances had the detective just warned the accused. He was convicted and ordered to come up for sentence if called upon. 1 ' '' Nathan Jagger, a youth, pleaded riot guiltv to using obscene language. Detective McCartney gave evidence as to the language used. The accused and four of his mates denied the use of the language. , A fine ot £2 was inflicted. - . . - , •Tames Wallace, * a 'young 'man," pleaded guilty to having used obscene language in Nelson-street. Sergeant Hendry said that the accused had good references. The magistrate was pleased to see the accused had admitted his error, and convicted and discharged him. 'A SERIOUS CHARGE. BOXER "LAYS OUT" THE PRISONER. George Phillips, a middle-aged man, was charged, with indecent assault. 1 . James Ross, a hoarder, who occupied a loom next, to that in which the alleged assault was committed, said that from what he heard he went into the room. Getting a bit excited at what he had seen he thrashed the accused, " laying him out" on. the bed i° ■ Accused : Witness taught boxing, land WaS g VP ' g ht -champion of Now Zeanr^ C 'tt MeMnh °» gave evidence as to charge' accused, he said, denied the ' The accused pleaded not guilty. Ho had. ho said been 33 years in the colonv. He was committed for trial. a The hearing of another similar charge against the accused was adjourned. " MISCELLANEOUS. kennoo ' Clarfc(> ' for a V l '" offence of drunkenness, was sentenced to seven days* imprisonment. Two t St , offenders were fined 5s and costs, in default 24 hours' imprison- " , w,llle fwo others, who did not appear were ordered to forfeit the amount oTCi ] ™ fiSVrfcu A pri yi J'XX h To SESS costs. prohlbltlou ovdcr . wa.s fined 20< and Con Marquis was remanded for a wedon a charge of perjury alleged to have been committed 011 August 30 of fal" Sn°ces WaS remand ° d °" 11 chal '«" and'with Ui WHS Cllargod with soliciting, Harry Marshal? Ld°^otec"i!. e a McS^cv gave evidence against the accused The magistrate thought if best to send her to tenced heMo^haAerm* 1 accordin 8 1 - v ■<*"- mXSi"?!!.'"',;-' ngahape Road longer than neon.™,,'" ' .John Kobmson was fined 10s, with m l - ™ fined .-.mount in ro.pcct loot'c