POLICE COURT NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 18085, 9 May 1922, Page 5

POLICE COURT NEWS.

A YOUTH IN TROUBLE.

GAOL AND DETENTION.

A month's imprisonment, to be followed by two years' reformativo detention, was imposed on a youth, Ivan David Cunningham, aged 17,. ■who appeared before Mr. J. W. Poynton, S.M., in the Police Court yesterday, on two charges of theft and a chargo of having absconded from licensed service. Accused pleaded guilty. Chief Detective Mo Ilveney said the lad was reported to bo uncontrollable. OFFENCES BY FIREMAN. A fireman, John James McMahon, aged 47, was charged with having attempted to commit, suicide and with having broken and entered tho shop of J. Broady, Durham Street, and stoen goods and o'thor articles valued at £12 Is od. Evidence was given as to the shop having heen entered at tho end of last month. Tho manager of the Sailors' Home stated ho found accused in an unoccupied room at the homo on the afternoon of Sunday, April 30, and ordered him off the premises. Accused had with him a portion of the' property stolen from the shop. When witness went to inform the police accused ran away, saying ho would drown himself. Constable Smith said ho was called to the home and saw accused running. Witness jumped into a motorcar and chased accused, reaching tho waterfront just in time to seo accused jump into tho water. Witness hauled him out with a rope. Accused pleaded guilty. He was -com-, mitted to the Supremo Court for sentence on the breaking and entering charge. Sentence on the other was deferred. MARRIED WOMAN'S LAPSE. Tho theft of a gold ring valued at £20 was admitted by a young married woman. The facts as stated were that some months ago a, woman missed her engagement ring and told accused, who lived in the same house, about it. The' ring was not found. Last month, however, accused was wearing it. Mr. Sullivan, who appeared for accused, said tho facts were admitted. The young woman had been under an operation just prior to the loss of tho ring, and her condition of mind was such that she did not know what she was doing. The woman had no recollection of having taken the ring and did not know how it came into her possession. Medical evidence was given. After tho operation the accused had suffered from hysteria and psychosthenia. Her action in regard to the ring would be consistent with her mental condition at the time. The woman was placed on probation for two years. An order was made against the publication of her name. BETTING . ON RACECOURSE. Sidney Poole (Mr. Fraer) denied a charge of having laid totali6ator odds on the result of the Railway Handicap at the Avondale. races on April 22. Evidence was given by Detectives Meiklejohn and O'Brien regarding transactions they had witnessed between defendant, and ono Webb, who were together, and a number of people who handed them money. The other man had been brought before the Court and fined £10 for betting. Defendant denied having made any bets. He s?Jd he had merely held money for the other man, who was a friend. A fine of £10 was imposed. BAG-SNATCHING ALLEGED. A chargo of theft from the person was made against Joseph Boy Anderson (Mi'. Dickson), aged 25. It was alleged that on the night, of April 15 ho snatched a handbag and contents valued at £9 from Mrs. Louisa Millers. Mrs. Millers stated that as she passed the corner of Hobson and Victoria Streets on her way home about nine o'clock she noticed three men. A man followed her as she went down Hobson Street, passing her about 100 yds. from the corner. He tihen stood at a corner under an electric light. As she approached he walked toward her and when ho came up to her snatched her handbag and ran down toward the waterfront. Accused was the man. Accused pleaded not guilty and was committed to the Supreme Court for trial. MISCELLANEOUS CASES. Three months' imprisonment was imposed on John Carroody on a charge of vagrancy. On a charge of having wilfully broken "four panes of glass valued at £2 10s accused was ordered to pay the damage. £2 10s, and witness' expenses, £1. Charles King (Mr. McLiver) denied a charge of being an idle and disorderly person in that he habitually consorted with reputed thieves and prostitutes. Accused was sentenced to two months' hard labour. George Edward Bradley admitted having used threatening behaviour in Beach Road. It was stated that accused and another man were seen fighting under a street lamp. A fine of £2, in default three imprisonment, was imposed. Two members of the crew of the Laburnum, Frederick Warwick and Harry Sainsbury, were each fined £3 for having been disorderly while drunk in "Wcllesley Street. A middle-aged widow admitted having attempted to commit suicide. It was stated that the woman had three young children and had a hard struggle to live. She was employed at an hotel and had been much attached to another employee. There was a disagreement between the two women, and this, added to defendant's other troubles, caused .her to attempt to commit suicide by taking poison. The woman was discharged on payment of £8 7s expenses, being allowed six months in which to pay.