MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

Oamaru Mail, Volume I, Issue 288, 26 March 1877, Page 2

MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

THIS DAY. (Before T. W. Parker, Esq., R.M.) STEAY HORSE. Allan M'Corkindale was fined 2s. 6d. for allowing a horse to be at large. STEALING A RING. Thomas Grady was charged, on the information of Moses Bott, with having stolen a gold ring from him, valued at 14s. ; also with damaging a sample-box belonging to the prosecutor. Prisoner pleaded Not Guilty. Sergeant O'Neill conducted the prosecution. Moses Bott, the prosecutor, deposed that he was a hawker, and was at Cogvin's boarding-house at half-past 10 o'clock last night. Prisoner was there also, and asked witness to show him some rings which ho had for sale. Witness showed him' two, but he said they would not fit him. Witness then handed him a third, which prisoner took and put in liis pocket, and immediately afterwards, on witness asking if it fitted him, prisoner said he had not got a ring belonging to witness. He then sent for the police. Prisoner went outside the house into the street, and went about four yards north of the house, but came back agam, and said he would remain and hear the end of it. Witness next saw his ring in possession of Sergeant Carroll. The ring produced was the on© witness had handed to the prisoner, and the one prisoner denied having got from him (witness). The ring had been handed to prisoner for sale, and was worth 14s. By prisoner : Did not ask prisoner to buy the ring ; but he had asked witness to show him some. Eight or nine other persons were present, and were looking at> the rings, but they all handed them back. Witness saw prisoner put the ring in his pocket. . By the Bench : No one went out with, prisoner. Thomas Puddle deposed that he lived at Cogvin's bnarding-lionse, and was thero about half-past ten o'clock last night. Prosecutor and prisoner were also present. They were having some argument about a ring. Prosecutor accused the prisoner of having stolen the ring, and the police we.re sent for. Between the time of the police being sent for and their arrival, prisoner went outside the house. Witness remarked to some that prisoner should not be let go until the police came. The prosecutor tried to prevent prisoner from leaving the house. When he left the house, prisoner went about four or five yards north. Saw prisoner standing where the ring was afterwards found, which was two or three feet from the rail-ing-fence. There was no person with, prisoner after he left the hoarding-hoiy' w-v and while he was standing near t!u: ; ,fence Did not remember seeing anyone" elso going near the fence during the time the police were coming. By prisoner : After the police came, all the men who had been in the room went . out to look for the ring. Prosecutor, recalled by the Bench, stated that when he handed the ring to prisoner, it was for him to try it that if prisoner did not approve of it he should have handed it back. Sergeant Carroll deposed, that from information received, he went to Mi\ Cogvin's boarding-house between half-past ten and eleven o'clock last night. Prosecutor accused the "prisoner of stealing a rin" "from hhn. Prisoner denied having taken the ring, and said, in a laughing manner, " You will find no ring on me." Having obtained a candle, witness went outside and searched the place where he had been • informed prisoner had been standing. After searching some time, witness "found the ring inside the fence, about three or four yards from the board-ing-house. On showing the ring to the prosecutor, he identified it as his property. The prisoner was then taiiexi, Jin charge. Several other persons were present when witness was searching could not have be eft placed" where witness had found it, but must have been dropped there. _ Dennis Cronin deposed that he was at Cogvin's boarding-house last night, and heard the prosecutor and prisoner having a dispute about a ring. Between the time of the police being sent for and their arrival, the accused left the house, and witness saw him go about four yards on the right hand side of the door, to where there was a fence. Witness was present when the ring was found by the police. It was very near where he saw the prisoner turn round. This was the case for the prosecution. prisoner, in reply to the Bench, said he had no witnesses to call, and nothing to say. His Worship : I understood you to say, when the charge was read over to you, that you are not guilty. Are you of the same mind, after hearing the evidence ? Pprisoner : Yes. < . . His Worship pointed out that there was the charge of damaging property to be i gone into. The evidence on this charge was then taken. Moses Bott deposed that while he was asking the prosecutor to hand him back the ring referred to in the previous case, the accused attempted to strike prose - cutor, but was prevented from doing sr. Prisoner then struck the box produced, and broke two of the rings it contained, ' and bent two others. The damage done would amount to about L2. The Beach said, referring to the first charge, the whole case semied to be clear enough, and how prisoner could come to the conclusion to plead not guilty was very strange. The value of the article 14s. —was not very great, but the manner t in which the jobbery had been committed would induce him to look upon the offence

m » xaotv serious one. The first charge .conicf only of W met to imprisonment and prisoner wotshi be ordered to rr-Bivo Cwu months" imprisonment- in tha second case a fine of ss. wooto b„ tn in addition to the amount of < lamage done—£2 ; and if the whole amount was not pai.it, prisoner would receive » month's irnpm mmeuC.