HUSTON IN COURT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 15142, 5 November 1912, Page 8

HUSTON IN COURT.

A SERIES OF CHARGES;

SOLICITOR AND POLICE:

A SENSATIONAL 'INCIDENT.

ACCUSED COMMITTED FOR TRIAL.

[BY TELEGRAPH.—OWN CORRESPONDENT.] »

Whangarei, Monday. 'The young man, David Lansing Huston, who has earned considerable notoriety of late, appeared at the Magistrate's Court this morning, before Messrs. W. Chadwin and R. .T. Kernohan, J.P.'s. He was charged with breaking and • entering the Hikurangi Hotel and stealing the sum of £3, also with stealing money and an assortment of articles from Isaac Ringrose at Kawakawa on October 27. ■» He was further charged with burglariously entering McMahon's Hotel and stealing £3 Is sd° and some articles of clothing, the property of Alfred Rawle. The third alleged offence occurred during Huston's first escape from custody. Two separate charges of escaping from legal custody were also entered.

The first witness called was the manager of the Hikurangi Hotel, who gave detailed evidence regarding tho occurrences on the night of September 27, when the first theft with which accused was charged occurred. He stated that ho had a large sum of money in the house. About two, o'clock in the morning he heard somebody moving about, and on calling out was answered by someone, whose voice he declared was identical with that of accused. He also went downstairs and'saw in the moonlight someone running off, whom he swore positively was accused.

'David Morpeth Courts, a miner, residing at the hotel, deposed to having been robbed of £4 18s on that occasion.

Harold McDonald said that on the night of the robbery he was proceeding home to Hikurangi at a late hour. Ho passed a man whom he would swear was Huston. Other witnesses gave evidence in regard to Hvston's alleged thefts at Kawakawa and Whangarei Hotels on the occasion of the second escape

The conclusion of the first series of charges against Huston was,'marked by an unusual incident. Huston had conducted a vigorous cross-examination of the various witnesses, when a solicitor, Mr. A. J. Edmunds, stood up in the body of the Court and announced that he had been instructed to - appear on behalf of the accused. .He said that he had been instructed by sympathisers of Huston. Mr. Edmunds tried to pass the prisoner a written piece of paper, but the police intercepted it. A struggle followed between Sergeant Moore, Detective Hollis, and Mr. Edmunds, during which Mr. Edmunds was thrown heavily by Sergeant Moore, who exclaimed, heatedly: "The man is under the influence of liquor." .

Mr. Edmunds indignantly denied the imputation, and protested that the prisoner was not getting a fair trial. The highlycoloured reports concerning Huston, he said, were all lies.

Mr. Chadwin, J.P.: If you are not careful you will be committed for contempt of court. The Bench declines to listen to you.

Mr. Edmunds's parting remark was : "He will get justice at the Supreme Court,'.'

The incident then closed.

The case for the prosecution took over five hours, and at the conclusion Huston announced that he pleaded not guilty, and would reserve his defence. He was committed to the Supreme Court for trial.

Throughout the proceedings, Huston, in spite of the fact that he was handcuffed, took copious notes with a pencil and paper.