POLICE COURT NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume L, Issue 15482, 13 December 1913, Page 5

POLICE COURT NEWS.

INCIDENT AT SHOW. "A PIECE OF NONSENSE." As a sequel to an incident at the show. William McCloud, a shooting expert, well known as a showman, appeared at the Polico Court yesterday, before Mr. E. C. Cutten, S.M., on the charge of having discharged a pea rifle at W. F. Oxenham, on the Epsom show grounds on Thursday. Mr. Lundou appeared on behalf of the accused, and said that the charge- was a piece of nonsense, but he supposed that some explanation would have to be given. Sub-Inspector Johnston said that there was no nonsense about firing a pea rifle at a man, and he asked for a remand until Monday, so that witnesses might be summoned. Bail was fixed at one surety of £75. CHARGE OF ASSAULT. A wharf labourer named Frank Carlsen was charged with assaulting Charles F. Osterman on November 27. Evidence was given by two women who witnessed the affair, which they characterised as being so brutal that it sickened them. The accused was stated to have knocked Ostorman down and then knelt on him and punched and kicked him in the face. Both stated that Osterman had taken off his coat before the assault. Dr. Speddinp stated that when Osterman was admitted to the hospital he showed symptoms of laceration of the brain. Mr. Singer, for the accused, said that the evidence suggested that Ostemian had taken the initiative, and added that the accused had already been in custody for 14 days. His Worship took this fact into consideration, and entered a conviction, ordering tho accused to pay costs, £3 17s 6d.

RESISTED VIOLENTLY. Andrew Cleary, a man of small stature, was charged with drunkenness, using obscene language-, and resisting the police. " Ho resisted violently, even at the lockup," raid Sub-Inspector Johnston. "He said he would give the constable a 'go' for it." The accused said he did not remember anything about the matter. A fine of £2, or Eeven days' imprisonment, was imposed. VAGRANCY. A Cingalee named George Richard Johns, who has frequently been before the Court for vagrancy, was charged with being an incorrigible rogue with insufficient means of support. He entered the dock with a smile, and answered " no" to every question put to him. His Worship asked if the man had gone to the Salvation Home for six months, as previously ordered, the police stating that he had remained in the institution for about six weeks only. He had absolutely no money, and slept' in back yards and such places, living upon anything he could get. A sentence of 12 months' hard labour was entered A charge of vagrancy against John BonneT, an old man, was withdrawn upon his expressing himself agreeable to going into the Costley Home John William Campbell pleaded not guilty to the charge of being an idle and disorderly person. Evidence given by several members of the detective force as to the accused's idleness, was contradicted by him. He was sentenced to threemonths' imprisonment with hard labour.

ALLEGED ASSAULT. An able-bodied man named Charles Armstrong was charged with having assaulted and done grievous bodily harm to one Lena Puller, on November 19, and was remanded. Bail was fixed at two sureties of £100, or ono of £300. FORBIDDEN WORD. Joseph Worland. a carter, pleaded guilty to the charge of having used insulting words to James Mac Donald. Sub-Inspee-for Johnston said that the complainant and another man were working for the Citv Council, when the accused came along and used the epithet mentioned. The complainant did not ask that Worland should be bound over to keen tho peace, and a fine of £3, and costs £1 6s, was imposed LICENSEES CHARGED. ■ Maurice O'Connor, licensee of the Thistle Hotel, was charged with having kept his premises open during the period they were ordered to be closed. An adjournment was granted to January 16. John Kelly, licensee of the Imperial Hotel, and Emil McCrann, barman in his emplov, were each charged with .having served liquor to a man in a state of intoxication, an adjournment being granted until Friday next. i INSOBRIETY. For their first offence of drunkenness, three men and one woman were fined 5s or. 24 hours. Another two first offenders who did not appear were fined the amount of their bail, and another who had been assaulted and injured while drunk was convicted and discharged. Blanche Brookes, alias Cook, and Andrew Wilson, who appeared for the third time during the statutory period, were each fined 10s or 48 hours, and Andrew Kelly, for his second offence, was fined a similar amount. Henry Pateon, a bushman, was charged with two breaches of his prohibition order, and with having entered licensed premises while a prohibited person. The explanation offered by Mr. Dawson on the man's behalf was that a severe injury to his head had rendered him unfit to go about by himself. If leniency were granted, his friends would undertake to look after him. A fine of £1 was made.

MISCELLANEOUS. Under a recently-framed by-law prohibiting the distribution of band-bills in certain streets, Robert Devine, who pleaded ignorance of the. existence of the by-law, was fined 5s and costs. William Richardson, for a similar offence, submitted that temperance literature, which ho distributed, did not come under the scope of the by-law. A conviction was entered. Mary Ann Friend, who was on Thursday remanded on three charges of shop-lifting from the premises of Messrs. Grey and Ford, Mr. Stone, and Rondel! and Co., again came bofore the Court. The articles alleged to have been taken ranged from handkerchiefs to blouse lengths of material, of the- total value of 19s lOd. Evidence was given by William Thomas, in the employ of Messrs. Grey and Ford, as to having found the goods in, question concealed beneath the accused's coat. She was under the influence of liquor at the timo. The accused said that she had no recollection of having committed the thefts, as she had been drinking. Fourteen days' imprisonment was the sentence imposed. Charged with absenting himself without [leave from the steamer Waiwcra, Harry Bailey offered the excuse that he had been knocked about, and had gone ashore for brandy. The captain of the vessel said that the man was dangerous when he was under the, influence of liquor. He was sentenced to 14 days' imprisonment. "The ship is away, the captain is away, the articles are away, and under these circumstances the man might be allowed away also.' said Mr. Lundon in defence of Walter George Pearce, who was charged with having deserted from the steamer Hurunui on April 26, 1912. The ease was remanded until December 22, on the understanding that if the incidental expense the New Zealand Shipping Company was put to over his desertion was paid, the charge would be withdrawn. To a serious charge Hugh Scally pleaded not guilty, through Mr. Lundon. and after evidence had been taken he was committed for trial, bail being allowed in | two sureties of £100.