MAGISTRATES' COURT.

Oamaru Mail, Volume I, Issue 342, 29 May 1877, Page 2

MAGISTRATES' COURT.

TIIJS DAY. (Heron: T. W. J'.\ri;i;u, H..M.) A],LK<ii;i) LAUCICNV. Charles Edward Thompson surrendered to his I-ail on a charge of having, on the 22:ul instant, stolen from the house of Walter 11. Ramsay Llt'O, consisting oj four Lfj-notes <m the Union Rank of Australia,, some L2O-noi:cs, .some RIO-notes, and some Ll-nolcs (banks unknown), 0110 half-sovereign, and lO.s. in silver, a largo brooch, a pair of cameo car-rings, a largo gold locket, and two small gold brooches,all the properly of the said Walter 13. Ramsay. Sub-Inspector Smith prosecuted, and Mr. O'Mcagher appeared for the accuseil. Kate Ramsay depos-.d : 1 am the wifi) of WaUci Rnchaiiaii Kamsay. W<j linvo been carrying on business as boarding-house-keepers in Tyne-s(ree(. My husband had been absent from Oamaru for tlirco weeks prior io the 22nd. lie was in Dunedin on the 22nd. 1. know the accused. I have been informed that he keeps a, fishmonger's siiop, and ids private house is at back of the boarding-house which 1 keep. J occupy two houses, which are about ten yards apart. Tin; hoarders sleep in both houses, and 1 slept in the stone, house on the 22ud. The room in which I left tho money was one of the rooms oil' tho kitchen, and was the room in which I slept. On Monday, the lR.h, the prisoner came to my house for the. purpose- of looking at tho-furniture, which lie wished to purchase He then said he would send his wife down next day to take au inventory of what there was in (lie houses. I made no agreement with him then. 1 saw him again in my hou.se on the following Saturday night, with Mv. I'ayue. Tliey came to give me a deposit on the furniture, which I agreed to soil accused. He gave me a L2O cheque as a deposit. The purchase money was L2l)i). 1 got the cheque cashed at the I'liiou Rank by .James Orr, I and he brought me four JLo-notes. I ! folded the notes up and placed them in a bag, and put the bag into one of the small drawers in a chest of drawers in my bedroom. This was on Monday, the' 21st, about 4 o'clock. 1 next saw the accused about half-past I on (he afternoon of tho 21st. He was alone. This was in tlie stone house. Mr. Runout was present when he came in. 1 went, over to tho wooden cottage with Thompson. Mr. Payne was there alone. The prisoner's wife came in shortly afterwards. Mrs. Thompson took some money out of a bag, and handed it to her husband. Tho money was counted over by the prisoner, and ho asked Mr. Ray no to read over the receipts which 1 had signed, so that he might know what he was paying for. Mr. I'ayne said there was no tlaw in tho receipts, and said I would have to siyu

my husband. I told him if he would j vrjcite W. 8., I would sign Ramsay. Tiiis j having been done, Mr. Payne took the \ receipts and gave mo the money, which ■ was for the household furniture, jt ' amounted to LlO.'), and consist'-d of some ' L2O-notes, four L >-notcs, Lvo Ll-liotes,. a j half-sovereign, and 10s. in silver. I can- I not say wliat hunk the largo imius were j on, as I had no time to look at them. At the time I received the money from Mr. Payne, prisoner and his wife were present, and they could see Mr. Payne give me the money. I rolled the money up and went into the stone house, and put it into the same bag as I had previously put the four L5-notcs. This bag was a small green morocco reticule, with my name on it. Besides the money mentioned, there was also LOT in the hag belonging to | James Orr. There was also in the bag a j large colonial gold brooch, with the likeness of my husband and my little boy in it; a pair of cameo earrings ; a large locket, with a female likeness in it, and with "M. M." on. it; a small brooch, sec with pearls, with the name " Pringle " on it; another small brooch, the shape of a shell; and some silver and gold, but to what amount I cannot say. I put the bag back again into the drawer from which I had taken it. There was no person present when I put'the bag in the drawer. When I left the wooden house Mrs. Thompson went away to the railway station, and Mr. Payne and prisoner remained in the wooden house. After I put the money in the drawer I went into the dining-room to give the men their tea. The accused afterwards came into the dining-room and asked me to introduce him to the boarders. I was so confused at the time that I cannot remember how long this was after I put the money into the drawer. 1 introduced the prisoner to four of the boarders who were in the parlour as the future landlord, and said I was going away in the morning. I also introduced him to two men who were in the dining-room. He asked me if I had anything to drink, as he wished to shout for the men. T told him I had not. and he sent for a bottle of brandy, which he took into the parlour. I had no conversation with the accused afterwards for about half an hour. During that time he was in the parlour with the boarders. V.'iien I next saw

him it w;is in my bedroom. I w.-.s talking to his wife, and Jic came in. There was no one present except the three of ns. Thompson said, " l\ow, old girl. I could make L3O out of you if I were to tell your creditors that you were going aw;;y in the morning." I was very much cx-uted at tho time, and said, "Don't do that Mr. Thompson ; I h.-ive worked very hard since I have been in Oamaru, and they have had eveiy shilling that .my husband and I have earned." Hi said, "Do as I want you, aud you will get nway without anyone seeing you." 11.- sagged cod that I shouM go to Timaru in t;e morning, and then take the steamer to Dnnodin. I coll him I knew no one in Tiiaarn, and he mve me a note to a man who keeps an . • ' . - Timarn. lie oiierod me a shake- ■' : his shop, but I refused it, saying I -red remaining in my own house. '■' ' red to drive ma to the town houniiere I might gvt int.»_ the train. . very bitterly, an i said it was very ) lie obliged to ie;.ve Oamaru like : e who had com a great en me. He said Oahill and Fiuch would take the money from me on the platform. I was very much exeited. awl wh;u- lie itoMiuew.-.seorrco-r. At this Philips, Mrs. ir Kenny, and .u'rs. M" Kenny's; j

daughter were in the hLi;c : :en. I went to the drawer where the iim-iIT was. aud took the bag out, ami went into rlie kitchen with it. I paid Mrs. M'Kenuy 125., which was duo t;> her for her daughter's service. 1 then closer I the hag ■ami went back to the bed-room with it. The prisoner and Lis wife were in my bedroom at tile time. I put the- bag into the drawer. and closed it, but did n<>t lock it. J. have naver been itr the habit of locking my drawers. All the money was-'.stiii in the I'.ig with the exception of the 12-;. I went to the bedroom door, at Airs. ThumpSou's request, to ask Mrs. ATlvemiy to let her g'rl remain for a week in the house. I went to the kitchen do'/r to spenlc to Mrs. M-iCeimy. Thompson thou left the b.:dr.io:>i ami went into the parlour. Wliih.. I was talking to Mrs. Mlveiiny. Mrs. Thompson requcste. :io to move out of the light into the sh-'-.c!-. is Brown, Buckingham, and a" policeman *'ero watching me. I did as requested, toil t!;eii couii.l not see who went into my W'.h'o mi. After a few minutes I returned. ito the kitchen. Sirs. Thompson and fc. Phiiiips were in' the kitchen, but here was no one in t'le bedroom. The ■«t time I saw the prisoner was while I r iis washing up with Mrs. Phillips. He sked us to have some of the I ad some ~f the brandy. He stood talkl_=_in the kitchen, and I was crying. »hilst t was there I saw the accused the hole time. I afterwards went to the oodeu cottage, and left the prisoner and i's._ Phillips (hi 3 sister) -together. I Wamed away about five minutes, and 'en I came back totlio kitchen tiie only rsori present was Mrs. Philiip3. I then nt into my bedroom and. opened the awer where I hsd put the bag, and li 'd that the bag was gone. I opened t-ie drawers, and got very excited, and d -Mrs. Phillips I had been robbed. I 1 "p o> Thompson's house immediately. 3a -\v the prisoner, liis wife, another mart, and two men. I told him I had ■n i'ol)bed of every shilling I had intie ra - Mrs. Thompson did not speak, ' the prisoner told mo to compose myr r :is I could not have lost the money •t I uuist have mislaid it. I returned ni .V own place, and went into the •den cottage. I afterwards went into "ton-e i;uuse, and met Tiiompson ' e - ' ■■' uiked me if I accused him or w <•■- having taken :he money from ~ - 1 did not know who to accuse,

as I had not lost a shilling out of my house before, and that I would go to the police-station, .x-.which. I did, leaving Thompson behind. When I returned with Constable Donovan, Thompson was in the kitchen with anot.or man. whom I did not know. About an hour afterwards the constable arrested Thompson. [We are compelled to hold over the remainder of our report until to-morrow.]