POLICE COURT NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVI, Issue 14235, 4 December 1909, Page 5

POLICE COURT NEWS.

MISCELLANEOUS.

ASSAULT ON A CONSTABLE.

"PREPARED TO ADMIT ANYTHING." At tho Police Court yesterday, before Mr. E. C. Cotton, S.M., Wm. Larson, for whom Mr. J. R. Reed appeared, pleaded not guilty to a charge of assaulting Copstablo Finlay. It was alleged that while Finlay was standing with a lady in Albert-street on Thursday evening the accused passed, and made an insulting remark. Finlay told him to go home, whereupon, it was alleged, accused returned and struck tho constablo in tho ■ faco with his walkingstick.

Finlay, in reply to Mr. Rood, said ho was in plain clothes at the, time, and admitted that ho might have had his 'arm around tho girl's waist. He did not sea tho accused assaulted when he was taken, to tho watch-house. He, however, saw one of the constables who was in tho watchhouse with his hand to accused's throat-

Mr. Reed : I suggest that ho was shaken like a rat. Was he not gripped and shaken in that way until ho admitted ho had struck you?

Witness: No. Ho admitted before that that ho had struck me. Mr. Rood: Tho man will swear than the constable, who was in plain clothes, shook him until he sobbed, and with tho four of you thero he was prepared to admit anything. , The other constables called did not throw any further light on what occurred in tho watch-house. __ _ ~ Tho accused corroborated Mr. Reed s statement in this connection, and also denied that ho struck Finlay before I'inlay struck him. . . , The magistrate recorded a conviction, and fined Larson £3, in default seven days imprisonment. A LAD IN TROUBLE. Wm. Tracey, a lad 16 years of age, pleaded guilty to a chargo of stealing £1, the property of John Latimer, a farmer, of Matamata. Chief-Detect Marsack explained that accused, thinking he. had to work too hard, look the money, bo that ho might get back to Auckland. Accused was ordered to come up for sentence when called upon, and to refund 8s 6d, balance of the £1 unrccovered. THEFT OF A GOLD WATCH. Henry Frank Toms, a young man 24 years of age, pleaded guilty to stealing a gold watch, valued at £10, tho property of Leonard Charles Trcmbath. Mr. Singer appeared for accused, and applied for probation, stating that accused bore an excellent character, and that the theft was tho result of sudden temptation. Chief-Detective Marsack said thefts from clothes in the Domain Cricket Ground were becoming too common. Toms was remanded for a week, pending the probation officer's report.

OFFENSIVE BEHAVIOUR IN TRAINS.

Joseph Williams and Chas. Reid denied a charge of unseemly behaviour while travelling in a railway carriage between Mount Eden and Henderson. The guard gave evidence in support of the charge, and said he could not attend to his duties, thinking he ought to remain in the carriage to prevent it from being wrecked. Tho accused Beid gave evidence, but tho magistrate said he had no hesitation in believing the guard's evidence, and fined the accused each £5 and 10s 6d costs, or one month's imprisonment. They were allowed a fortnight in which to pay the fine. William Linecn, a well-built man of about 30 years of ago, pleaded guilty to a charge of offensive behaviour in a railway carriage between Mount Eden and Taupaki on September 27. It was explained that accused was under the influence of liquor at tho time, and created a disturbance, causing great annoyance to other passengers. A fine of £5, in default one month's imprisonment, was imposed. A CABMAN ASSAULTED. Ghas. Wallace, a bookmaker, pleaded not guilty to assulting Michael Leonard, a cabman, by striking him on the face with a walking-stick. Sub-Inspector Hendrcy appeared for tho prosecution, and Mr. J. ft. .undon for the defence. Accused was one of Leonard's fares, and when the time camo for payment of tho fare, Wallace, it is alleged, accused Leonard of blackmailing him. and struck him twice across the face with his walking-stick. After evidence was given by complainant, Edward Lamer, and accused, tho magistrate convicted Wallace, and imposed a fine of £2 and costs 16s 6d, in default seven days. ASSAULT CASE DISMISSED. An able-bodied young man named, John Burrows denied a charge of assaulting a man named Win. Mumford. Mr J. R. Lundon defended. A constable gavo evidence, stating that at the corner of Queen and Custom Streets, on Thursday night, he saw Burrows strike Mumford twice. Accused .explained that ho was only interfering on behalf of a jockey, who was being assaulted, and other witnesses corroborated his statement. Mumford did not appoar in Court to give evidence. The magistrate dismissed the case. DRUNKENNESS. Tho usual batch of offenders for drunkenness wcro brought forward. Four first offenders were mulcted in the usual penalty of ss, or, in default, 24 hours, while another, who did not appear, was ordered to forfeit £1 bail. Mary Ann Windsor, who made her sixth appearance for drunkenness in • six months (and of which six months she spent three in gaol), pleaded for another chance, but. tho magistrate gave her two months more in Mount Eden. Henry McMahon, for drunkenness, was ordered to come up for sentence when' called upon, and on a further charge of procuring liquor while prohibited was convicted and discharged.

Alexander Howie, a greaser on the Indradevi, admitted stealing a watch, valuo £1, from Wm. Dickson. Ho was sentenced to 21 days with hard labour, and the policewere instructed to place him on board his steamer before it loft Now Zealand. "

John Richard Wynyard was fined £1 and costs 9s for havinsr. on November 20, at Deyonport, cruelly ill-treated a calf by tying it in a way calculated to cause it, unnecessary suffering. Oscar James Hodder, a youth 19 years of age. was charged with indecently assaulting a little girl five years of ago on November 24, Chief-Detective Marsack prosecuted, and Mr. Hackett appeared for the defence. Accused reserved his defence, and was committed to the Supreme Court for trial. Bail was allowed, accused to find two sureties for £50, and himself for £100.

Adolphus Smith, for failing to observe the rule of the road in Wellesloy-street, was fined 10s and 7s costs.

James MeGrath, for allowing his horses to wander within the- borough of Newmarket, was fined 10s.

Frodk. Parsons, for allowing his horse to stray at Devonport, was fined 5s and 20s costi.