PRISONERS SENTENCED.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1666, 3 February 1904, Page 65

PRISONERS SENTENCED.

On Wednesday the Chief Justice passed sentence on a number of prisoners who had pleaded guilty to various offences in the Magistrate’s Court. AN IMPUDENT RUBBERY. 5

Robert Gaun (28), driver, and James North ey (29), labourer, were put forward for. sentence for stealing various articles valued at £2B, the property of Gertie Ibbotson, from the Pier Hotel, on December 10th, 1903. It appeared that Miss Ibbotson was a commercial traveller, end her box had been left in a room off the private entrance to the betel, from which it was stolen. The prisoners were arrested by Detective Cassells.*

'JLlnoro were seventeen previous : convictions against Northey for theft, vagrancy, breaking and entering, etc., while Gaun’s record showed two previous convictions. TTbi Honor imposed a sentence of two years’ hard labour on each of the pris- - omens. : > A MEAN THIEF. James Ediward Joseph Mangan (24), a stylishly-dressed young fellow, described as a clerk, pCeaded drink in extenuation of five offences of larceny of articles of jewellery, wearing apparel, etc., from different hotels in Palmerston North and Feilding during the month of December last, - There were two previous convictions against the prisoner for tiheft, and it was stated that after arrest he made a statement which implicated another person, and which was found to he false] further, that it was only quite lately he was willing to give assistance to the police. His Honor, in passing a sentence of two- years’ hard labour, reminded tihe prisoner that he was liable to fourteen years’ hard labour on each otf the charges. An order was made for the restitution of the stolen property. ‘ - AN EX-JQCKEY’S LARCENIES. - James Grippe, alias Madigan. (26), described as a jockey and labourer, had nothing to plead m mitigation of punishment' for stealing a cheque, value £36 6s, the property of Neilson Bros., Toahoana, at Bridge Pla, near Hastings; ? on December Bth, 1902; also- for! the - larceny of a sum of £6 odd from the V. dwelling-house -of Thomas Drummond, at "Wiangapeke, near Nelson, on Decem- • feer 23rd, 1903. In the first case the prisoner had stolen the cheque out of a postal packet to Archibald McLean, sheepfeinner Greenhill, which packet had •f bee® left in a letter-box at Bridge Pa. He got a man in Te Aute to cash the cheque for him in Hastings, represent- : J ing that it had been given to bun by Mr MciLeain as wages. In Abe second ; instsneb be had stolen the money from ;wc^plbyer , s' house. . r '. There Were two'., previous ponvidtj.ons, • for, theft and false pretences, and the prisoner was ordered to undergo • eigh- ; teen?'months’ hard labour lon | each oharge, i the sentenoes to run cocuour^e-nt* •pS V.-'V S'Sij .

BX3KKE Edward Stokes (22),. labourer, pleaded for a chance when asked if he had. anything to say why. sentence should not be' passed upon hinj^for-stealing two grey geldings and a/picbhi’d mare, valued at £l9, the property of Bernard -Francis Corrigan, at Kaiparoro, on May 28th, .1903. ' : • . --The evidence showed that Stokes was employed by Con'igan to assist in driving in a mob of mares from the Waikato, and at Mauriceville North ihe sold two geldings for £l4 to Larson Brothers, and a piebald pony to August Olsen fo r £2 15s. Hirj Honor observed that there were two previoiiDS c evictions against the prisoner, but they were not cf a serious nature. For the present offence, ho should he imprisoned for one year, and kept to hard labour. Arthur Grogan (24), described as a labourer, who arrived in the col! any from Melbourne in December, 1902, was sentenced to six months’ hard labour for stealing a dark gelding, valued at £ls, the property of George Hepple. draper, Lower Hutt, on December 16th. The prisoner had taken the horse out of a paddock at the Lower Hutt and sold the animal to James T. (yßifen, Willis street, for £22. Ho was apprehended bv Detective Cassells. AN ELDERLY CRIMINAL. Robert Hayes (64), a Labourer residing at Wanganui, came up for sentenoo on two charges of indecently assaulting little girls of the ages of six and seven years respectively. • There was nothing against the prisoner’s character previously. Ho attributed his ci*imetto drink. His Honoi ; said the offence was a very serious one. The prisoner was liable to seven years’ hard labour on each charge, and ailso to be flogged. He should undergo four years’ hard labour.