SUPREME COURT.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume I, Issue 10, 14 December 1844, Page 3

SUPREME COURT.

On Monday the 2nd instant, His Honor Mr. Justice Chapman, sat for the trial of prisoners. One of the Grand Jurors was fined £5, and a Petty Juror 10s., for n.onattendance. > • The usual formalities hating been gone through, the Judge congratulated the Jury on the lightness of the calender, and made some

remarks on the cases which "were likely to come before them. The Grand Jury having retired for sometime, returned into Court with three true Bills against William Williams, for Larceny; a true Bill against David Watts Marshall, for stabbing with intent to do grevous bodily harm ; and ignoring a Bill against George Edward Reid, Richard Davy, Joseph Abbott, and Alexander Watt, for Conspiracy. The Grand Jury having been thanked by the Judge \ias discharged. William Williams, was put upon his trial, and pleaded not guilty to all the indictments. The first indictment charged him with stealing four shirts, the property of George M'Laren, master of the brig Nelson. The evidence was conclusive against him and the Jury returned a verdict of Guilty. He afterwards withdrew his plea of not guilty, and pleaded guilty to the other indictments, and was sentenced to six calender months imprisonment, with hard labour for the first offence, and one week's, imprisonment artil lurrd labour for each of the other offences. David Watts Marshall, charged with stabbing with intent to do greivous bodily harm to Joseph Rhodes, and a second co;mt with common assault. Pleaded not guilty. The prisoner was undefended by Counsel. The evidence was gone into at considerable length and the witnesses were cross-examined by the prisoner, who in his defence alleged Mr. Rhodes applied abusive epithets to him, and it was whilst he was in the act of using his knife in cutting the bread which was taken from him, that he unknowingly struck the blow, he protested strongly against the unmanly act of using a knife for any purpose of assault, and called several respectable wituesses to character. The Jury (after retiring) returned a verdict finding him Guilty, of the common assault, and the prosecutor Mr. Rhodes applied to the Court recommending the prisoner to its merciful consideration. On the following morning Marshall was sentenced to six calendar months imprisonment. Hugh M'Kay, master of the barque Raymond, and several other persons, were called on their recognizances to prosecute, but having failed to appear, their recognisances were ordered to be estreated. This ended the Criminal business of the Court.