POLICE COURT NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LI, Issue 15566, 25 March 1914, Page 7

POLICE COURT NEWS.

ALLEGATIONS OF THEFT. A HORSE AND CAE?. Tirr: disappearance of a horse and cart and its subsequent recovery formed the subject of a lengthy Police Court case yesterday. Iwo men, William Draper and Daniel Charles McDowell, were charged with having stolen a horse, cart, and harness, valued at £19, the property of George Henderson.- The accused Draper was defended by Mr. Moody, McDowell not being represented by counsel. George Henderson stated that he gave the accused McDowell £19 to purchase a turnout. This McDowell did, giving witness the receipt. An arrangement was then entered into whereby McDowell was to have the loan of the horse and cart for hawking purposes. McDowell taking to. drink, this agreement was cancelled, but a day or two later the turnout disappeared, being found subsequently in the possession of Ludwig Kallmann. Kallmann said that Draper came to him to sell the turnout, and witness bought it, believing that it belonged to McDowell, and that Draper was acting as his agent. McDowell was paid the money, and made out the receipt for £11. Mr. Moody maintained that there was an inference that Henderson had given McDowell authority to sell the' turnout. Whether such was the case or not, there was no evidence, he said, to show that Draper acted with a guilty knowledge. Draper sold the turnout as McDowell's agent, believing that McDowell had Henderson's permission to sell. After some argument on the case, Mr. F. V. Frazer, S.M., came to the' conelusion that there was nothing more than suspicion against Draper. The charge against him was therefore dismissed. McDowell, who pleaded not guilty and reserved his defence, was oommitted to the Supreme Court for trial. , Bail was allowed in one surety of £50, or in two of £25 each.

SUDDEN TEMPTATION. Seeing a purse lying in a public telephone box, Alfred Oscar Forsyth went in and took it. The purse, which contained 6s and a pawnticket, had been only left there momentarily. The woman who was telephoning leaving the box in order to get some coppers. The accused, for whom Mr. Stilling appeared, pleaded guilty to the theft, which, he said, he committed, on the impulse of the moment. The accused's chief trouble was stated to be drink, and he was sentenced to seven days' hard labour. VAGRANT SENT TO GAOL. The sum of 4d, which was found upon John George, was not deemed to be sufficient lawful means of support when he was charged with vagrancy. George was stated to have been hanging round the town for some weeks, drinking and mixing with bad characters. His Worship told the accused that a man with such a ] record as his could not afford to take such risks. A sentence of 21 days' hard lojonr was imposed. INTEMPERANCE. Convicted of insobnety, one first offender was discharged without penalty, in view of his advanced age. Mary South was fined 10s for being disorderly while druak. Sarah Dennis, convicted of being drunk for the fourth time "within the last six months, and also of the second breach of her prohibition order, was sentenced to seven days' hard labour. Joseph McManus was fined £3 for the third breach of his prohibition order, the alternative being fixed at a fortnight's hard labour.