DISTRICT COURT.

Oamaru Mail, Volume 357881, Issue 350, 7 June 1877, Page 2

DISTRICT COURT.

CRIMINAL SITTING. i THIS DAY. (Before his Honor District Judge Ward.) His Honor took his seat on the bench at 10 a.m. ABSENT JURORS. On the list of jurymen being called over, the following were found to be absent, and were fined 403. each, unless cause for their absence was shown ;—Gustavus L. Longford, Wm. Collins, Thomas Common, and Hugh M'Kay. PERJURY. Alice Purnell, alias Mary Ann Greaves, was indicted with having on the 2nd June committed wilful and corrupt perjury while giving evidence in the Resident Magistrate's Court in a civil action brought by her against William John Craig. Prisoner pleaded not guilty. Mr. White (Crown Prosecutor) appeared for the prosecution, and Mr. Hislop for the prisoner. The following jury was then empanelled —Thomas Duncan (foreman), Joseph Rickard, Robert Thompson, Daniel Ruddock, Wm. Wylie, John Rankin, James M'Ewen, John Meek, James Martin, Alfred J. S. Headland, George Harwood, and John Falconer. The other jurymen who had been summoned were then relieved from further attendance. The Crown Prosecutor briefly opened the case, stating that the prisoner, at her trial in the Resident Magistrate's Court, had said she could not write. He would bring a witness to prove that she could write, and would produce a document in prisoner's handwriting. The following witnesses were examined —T. W. Parker (R.M.), W. G. Filleul (Clerk of the Court), Martha Craig, William John Craig, Frank White, Patrick Ryan, Agnes Robertson, Charles Routledge, Sergeant of Police, Timaru. The evidence adduced was almost the same as that given in the Resident Magis* trate's Court, and which has already been published.

Martha Craig was, however, pre severely cross-examined by Mr. Higli who succeeded in making the witn contradict herself in several instanc Do ring the cross-examination in referei to the signing of the receipt, the witn apparently unthinkingly made use of words, " When I signed the receipt," 1 immediately afterwards corrected hersi saying she had not meant to say th Again, when asked by Mr. Hislop as how she would spell Alice, witness repli that she would spell it " A-1-i-c-e," ad ing, "But I might havo spelt it \tj two l's." William John Craig was also cross-f amined at some length by Mr. Hisli During this the witness made sevci statements contradictory to others nia by him in the Resident Magistrat Court. In his cross-examination White co tradicted several of the statements ma by the Craigs. He said he had not to the accused that if she would go a\t Craig would give her LI a week. Heli never said that one of his accompli] ments was that he could write six diff ent hands. He had been bruised at Ai burton over a dispute about a game cards which he won. He had never bt known by any other name than Fn White. He did not leave Melboui under the eyes of the police, nor had ever served a term of imprisonment. In his cross-examination Patrick Rj acknowledged that he had served C mont in gaol in Auckland for gambling soi six or seven years ago. He had also be in the box since on a similar charge, b was not then sent to gaol. Agnes Robertson stated that on Mi day, the 28th May, the prisoner came her and showed her some money, sayi that she had received her wages. Charles Routledge, Sergeant of Polii stationed at Timaru, was called by t Crown Prosecutor, to show that the stat ment of the prisoner that she could r\ write was not true. The witness stat that he had seen the prisoner sign li name. This concluded the case for the prosa tion. The case had not concluded when i went to press.