AUCKLAND SUPREME COURT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 14690, 26 May 1911, Page 5

AUCKLAND SUPREME COURT.

THE CRIMINAL SESSIONS.

IMPRISONMENT FOR THEFT.

The quarterly criminal sessions r of the Supreme Court were continued before His Honor Mr. Justice Chapman and juries yesterday. Mr. J. A. Tole, K.C., appeared as Crown Prosecutor. .. A young man named Florence William Thompson pleaded guilty to four charges of having stolen various articles of jewellery. It appeared that accused had been employed as a canvasser by a local jewellery firm, and entrusted with certain articles for sale, and he pawned some of them. His Honor sentenced him to 12 months' imprisonment with hard labour. Assault With Violence. A powerfully-built young man named Thomas Kelly, for whom Mr. Lundon appeared, pleaded not guilty to a charge of having assaulted a young man named Thomas Mackay in such a manner as to cause actual bodily harm. The accused was a fireman on board the U.S.S. Company's steamer Talune, and Mackay was a steward on the same vessel. When at Auckland on February 11, the two men with others went ashore, visited several hotels and drank a considerable quantity of liquor. On returning to the Talnno they all seemed to be to some extent intoxicated. Mackay, when undressing, missed his watch, and remarked that somebody had stolen it. The evidence for the Crown went to show that accused thought Mackay had blamed him for having stolen his watch, and he struck him two blows, one of which broke his jaw and injured muscles of his throat, whilst the other blackened his eye. The jury considered their verdict for about halban-hour, and returned to Court with a. verdict of guilty, but with a special v recommendation to mercy, on the ground of accused's previous good character, that no malice was intended, and that all of the men concerned in the case were more or less under the influence of drink. His Honor said he would give effect to the recommendation of the jury; but it did not relieve him of the necessity of imposing a term of imprisonment, as ho intended to do that in every case of drunken assault that came before him. The sentence ofihe Court was six months' imprisonment with hard labour. Alleged Theft From the Person. A well-dressed and respectable-looking man named Patrick Lockett pleaded not guiltv to a charge of robbery from the person preferred against him at the instance of a fireman named Adam Cameron. Accused was defended by Mr. J. K. Lundon. The case for tho prosecution was that on the evening of April 18 last, Cameron went into the public bar of the Thistle Hotel, whero he met prisoner, who was a stranger to him. They had a drink together, and then Cameron said the accused asked him to change a £5 note. He tendered the note and was given five sovereigns in change, but he immediately snatched the note from the prosecuting witness's hands, and bolted out of the door into the street. Cameron followed, shouting for the police. Accused was captured, and a constable came up immediately. The policeman asked him what he had in his' hand, and the answer was, "Nothing." His hand was then forcibly opened, when- it was found that lie held a£s note. When questioned, he said he had plenty of money, and £18 13s 6d in cash was found on him when he was searched. There was another man in his company in the hotel, but the police had been unable to find him. His name was Samuel McCarthy, and a warrant had been issued lor his arrest.

The Court adjourned before the defence could bo entered upon, but judging from the line of cross-examination entered upon by Mr. London, the accused denies all the material allegations made against him.