POLICE COURT NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVI, Issue 17249, 27 August 1919, Page 9

POLICE COURT NEWS.

THEFT CHANGE DISMISSED. GIVEN BENEFIT OF DOUBT. Theft of a watch and chain, valued at £15, was denied by George Wells (Mr. A. "Moody), before Mr. J. .E. Wilson, S.M., at the Police Court yesterday. Frederick W. Corles, a eoldier on leave, said that shortly alter midnight on Saturday, while going home, he met accused and two of his friends near the Parnell Railway Bridge. Some talk of watches ensued. One of accused's friends -went home, and then the other produced a bottle of whisky. Witness could remember nothing more until he woke a few hours later to find his landlady bathing his face, which had been badly bruised about the left eye. Ho then found that his watch was missing. Cross-examined, witness said. accused and his companions were under the influence of liquor when he first met them. James Keenan said that as he passed the three men he heard the remark, '" That's a fine watch you've got." On Corles buttoning his coat, accused's friend said, "We don't want your watch; it's only a bit of fun." Constable Waterman, of Parnell, said that after. 1 a.m. he saw the three men near the top of Parnell Rise. Corles was leaning against a fence, with a severe cut above one eye, bleeding badly. On hearing that Corles had lost his watch, witness pursued the other two men and overtook them in Princes Street. At first they denied ail knowledge of the watch, but later accused produced it, saying that Corles had lost it as he fell down, and that he was keeping it for him. . The accused, in evidence, said that Corles fell twice, and the second time his watch fell from his pocket on to the footpath. • Corles, who was very drunk, said Take me home, Digger." Thereupon accused picked up the watch and helped Corles to his home at the top of the hill. > On the appearance of the constable they ' anticipated arrest for drunkenness, and 1 ran away. " I am going to give this man the benefit of the doubt," said the magistrate, 1 " The circumstances are very seriously i against him, and he would have himself ■ a.one to blame if he were convicted. It seems disgraceful that a man is allowed i to spend his leave in drinking about the ! town and getting into "all kinds of trouble, j ; but so long as the military authorities 1 allow it the Court can do nothing." The case was dismissed. HOUSE, OF ILL-FAME. , A raid by several police officials on No. 17, Cook Street, on Monday night, led to a midd'e-aged woman; named Kate McCarthy (Mr. Dickson), b'einp; charged with having kept a house of ill-fame. SubInspector Wohlmann stated the raid had revealed a shocking state of immorality on the accused's premises. It was one of the most disgusting cases the police had discovered for some time. After the evidence of one constable had been heard, counsel stated that the case for the prosecution was so overwhelming ; that he must enter a plea of guilty. In ' mitigation he submitted that the woman ! was an outcast of society, and that after; a previous conviction for a similar offence j in 1917 she had reformed a little. ' "I have a-duty to- perform to the public." said. : the magistrate. " People j must be protected from a woman' of this ! sort, who is a menace to public health. : She will be imprisoned for nine months j with hard labour." AN UNDESIRABLE CHARACTER, i A sordid tale was related' by Plain-clotbes-Cohstable * Knight, when giving ! evidence in the case-' in. which Dbiiald - Wil- > son" (Mr.- Dickson) charged with.con-, ■ sorting habitually with thieves and prosi titutes. He 3aid that the accused, when : released from gaol on probation, worked i well for some-time, but upon meeting a ' convicted thief engaged rooms. The men j met two women of low "repute, as they ■ were released from prison and lived with them as married couples. Since May last .ho -had been seen in bad company. The 1 magistrate stated that on the evidence he must .come to the conclusion that the ' t accused was living on the unlawful earnI ings of women. A sentence of threes I months' imprisonment was imposed. A second charge that he received a gold ring, knowing it to have been dishonestly obtained, was dismissed. YOUNG WOMAN CONVICTED. " Incorrigible laziness"' was the cause ! attributed by Sub-Inspector Wohlmana to j the downfall of Ursula Moriarty, a girl of 1 18, who pleaded guilty to a • charge of I vagrancy. He' stated that the young ] woman, whose mother was dead, caused (unceasing trouble to her father. She remained in good positions a few days only, and latterly had been mixing with low ■, characters and wandering about the waterfront late at night. He suggested refor- . j mative treatment - "'to ' save her from ' j degradation." The magistrate ordered the accused to come up for sentence if called . I within 12 months, en condition that she 1 remain in . the Mount Magdala home, ! ChristchuTch, as recommended by a i Church. authority. VALUELESS CHEQUES. John Brown (Mr. Inder) admitted , having obtained £1 19s at Shannon on July 10 by means of a valueless cheque. I Chief-Detective McMahon stated that the accused was undergoing sentence for other similar offences, that mentioned in the [ charge being one of that series. The magistrate' decided not to increase the | sentence, and after' entering a conviction formally discharged the accused. DRUNKENNESS. James Butcher, a second offender for • drunkenness, was fined 10s, in default 48 hours' imprisonment.