POLICE COURT NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 13765, 2 June 1908, Page 7

POLICE COURT NEWS.

"PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE." A well-dressed, middle-aged woman, named Madame Levine, 'appeared before Mr. C. C. Kettle, S.M., in the Police Court yesterday, on a charge of practising palmistry. She admitted the offence, but claimed that she had not done anything wrong. Sergeant Hendry explained that the defendant bad practised in a shop in Lower Queen-street, and did a thriving business in endeavouring to tell people their "past, present, and future." Women were her chief patrons. "I did not know that I was breaking the law," said the defendant. "For two yeans I was in Wellington, and I have been here 12 months now. I do _ everything quite openly, and rent a shop in Lower Queen-street. Palmistry is not for-tune-telling.." Mr. Kettle: Can you tell people what their fortunes are to be? Defendant: No; I do not practise that. I can tell them for what they are adapted in life. There is no empty-headed business put into people's heads by palmistry. Mr, Kettle: But you are trading on the weakness and curiosity of silly people. Don't you admit that it is all nonsense?—No; people who have not studied the' subject say that. "The law is meant to protect silly people," said His Worship. The defendant was convicted, and ordered to come up for,sentence when called upon. Two charges of practising palmistry were also preferred against Madame Hyland. The defendant did not appear, but a telegram was read from her, stating that she was at New Plymouth, and intended pleading guilty. She was convicted and ordered to come up for sentence when called upon. BREAKING AND ENTERING AND THEFT. A charge was preferred against a strong, able-bodied young man named Charles Richard Bentloy of breaking and entering King's Court Boardinghouse, on May 24, and stealing a pair of boots, valued at £1. Chief-Detective Marsack, who prosecuted, explained that accused was formerly employed at the boardinghouse as a porter. On the night in question he was found inside the building, and ran away, throwing a parcel on the lawn as he passed. This parcel consisted of a pair of boots wrapped up in newspaper, which were afterwards identified as the property of one of the boarders at the estapaehment. Accused pleaded guilty, and was committed to the Supreme Court for sentence. He declared that on the night in question he was suffering from the effects of drink. A GAME OF CHANCE. Stephen Patrick Duggan, represented by Mr. .Lundon, pleaded guilty to a charge of playing a game of chance at Ellerslie, on Saturday last, and was fined £2 and costs'. The game in question consisted of rolling a " barber's pole" across a table and paying certain sums on chosen colours, when they turned up." "RINGOLETTE." James Corbett was charged with committing a similar offence to the preceding one, by playing a game called "ringolette." Mr. Lundon, appearing for the accused, contended that the game in question was a game of skill, and quoted cases decided at Wanganui and Rotorua, in support The magistrate agreed _ that the game in question was one of skill,' and dismissed the case. MISCELLANEOUS. Henry . Leonard Chitty, a young man, who admitted a fortnight ago that he bad broken the window of a tramcar (after an innocent man had been charged with the offence), and had been remanded in order to make amends to the other person for the expense he had been put to in proving an alibi, appeared before His Worship, and stated that he had paid all expenses. Mr. Kettle then ordered him to come up for sentence when called upon. John Bain pleaded guilty to acting in a disorderly manner while drunk, in Karangahape "Road, on Saturday, and also to breaking a glass window and using bad language. He explained that he was a gumdigger, and came to town a couple of days ago, and could only account for his lapse owing to "too much whisky." "You can use this language away out on the hills, perhaps," said Mr. Kettle, " but you must not use it here."' On the first two charges accused was convicted and ordered to come up for sentence when called upon, and on the other he was also convicted, and fined £2 and costs. Ho was also ordered to pay the cost of the broken window, 15s. G. A. Goold. the young Australian arrested at Hamilton, on a charge of false pretences, was remanded to 'appear at Forbes, New South.Wales, where the alleged offence took place. Constable Byrne escorted him to Sydney, by the Victoria,, last evening, James Mclnoid, who has only one arm, and whom Sergeant Hendry described as "not having a lazy bone in "liis body," but who was prone to give way to drink, was prohibited for 12 months. Eliza Monaghan was convicted and cautioned for her third offence for drunkenness, and four first offenders were fined the usual 5s and costs. Peter Walker, an elderly man, was convicted on a charge of drunkenness, and prohibited for 12 months. Frank Fitzgcorye, a young man of splendid physique, admitted charges of drunkenness", breaking his prohibition order, and being found on licensed premises while a prohibition order was in force against him. He was convicted, and ordered to come up for sentence when called upon, on condition that he remained a month at the Salvation Army Prison Brigade Homo.