POLICE COURT NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 14787, 16 September 1911, Page 5

POLICE COURT NEWS.

A MAN WHO GOT 37 CHANGES.

SENT TO GAOL FOR A MONTH.

A suit of clothes hanging just inside a second-hand dealer's shop proved too big a temptation for Charles Chase to resist. He stole them and ran. Unfortunately for him, Mr. Peek, the owner of the shop, saw him, and Chase soon found that the nimble dealer was gaining on him, and dropped the suit. Overjoyed at recovering his clothes, 'Peek gave up the chase and returned to his shop. Shortly after Chief-Detective Marsack arrested Chase, who then said he was drunk, and did not remember anything about the matter. He was charged with theft of the clothes at the Police Court yesterday before Mr. E. C. Cutten, S.M. Mr. Alan Moody, who appeared for the defence, said accused had come down from the country with £40, which he was doing his best to spend in drink. He was so drunk on the day in question that ho was refused drink at an hotel. He remembered nothing of the occurrence.

His Worship decided to convict. Mr. Moody wked that as it was the result of a drinking bout, accused might be given a chance. Mr. Cutten (looking at the previous convictions) : He has had 37 chances before, but they are nearly ail in connection with liquor. Accused was sentenced to one month's hard labour. ASLEEP ON A VERANDAH. Quietly sleeping on a verandah in a house in Grey-street, Joseph Harding did not consider he was doing any harm ; the occupiers of the house thought otherwise, and asked him to leave. . This he refused to do, and a constable was sent for to remove him. As he still refused to go he was arrested and became very violent, the constable having to throw him to the ground, and handcuff him. Defendant, when charged in Court with being illegally on premises by night, said he was subject to fits, and did not remember anything, and could only say that he was going somewhere else when he felt he was going to be ill, and, accordingly, went to lie down on the verandah. In answer to the magistrate he could not remember what he had been doing all day. His Worship said he would remand accused for a week in order to give him a chance to find his memory. JEWELLERY THEFT. A respectable-looking young girl pleaded guilty to a theft of jewellery, and the sub-inspector stated that she had previously been convicted of theft. His Worship convicted accused, and ordered, her to come up for sentence when called upon. She would not be called on if she stayed in the Salvation Army Home for two years. TWO MEN SENT TO GAOL. A storeman, Harry James, and a carrier, Carl Borgoite, were jointly charged with stealing five sacks of chaff, two sacks of oats, and two sacks of bran, valued at £3 10s. from Frank M. Winstone. Mr. Hall Skelton appeared for the accused, and pleaded not guiltv, but subsequently this plea was withdrawn, and Mr. Hall Skelton pleaded for leniency. Mr. 'Cut-ten said the case could only be met by imprisonment. Each of the accused would receive one month's hard labour. ILL-TREATING HORSES. Richard Davies pleaded guilty to working a. horse whilst it was suffering from sore shoulders, and permitting two others to bo worked in a similar condition. He was fined £2 10s and costs. Joseph. Henry Crabbe, John Paul, and George Davies were each fined 10s for, working their horses whilst suffering from sore shoulders. DRUNKENNESS. John Dwyer, who has made five appearances for insobriety before, was convicted and discharged on condition • that lie took out a prohibition order. William Arthur Cocker, a second offender, was fined £1, in default three days'" imprisonment. Two first offenders were fined 10s, and one ss. MISCELLANEOUS. For a breach of his prohibition order Joseph Hollis was fined £2, and Thomas Flanagan on a similar charge was fined £1, in default three days' imprisonment. VVone Yong, and Samuel Ritchie were each fined £1 and costs for allowing their respective chimneys to catch fire.