RESIDENT MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XV, Issue 4725, 21 July 1890, Page 3

RESIDENT MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

THIS DAY. (Before H. A. Stratford, Esq., 8.M.) John Palmer was charged on remind with beiog found in a room in the Oamaru Post Office, with latent to commie a felony. Inspector Thompson conducted the prosecution, and Mr Harvey appeared for the defence. Charles Bow, telegraphist, stationed at Osmaru, stated that on the 16th inat., while on doty at the office, at about 10.30 p m., he heard like tha •hcfiilog of feet and tbe turning of the handle of tbe door of the despatch or messenger 1 * room. He remarked Co Mr tt'Ohie tbat he thought someone was in the messenger's room, and Mr M'Ghle opened tbe door. Witness followed, and heard accosed, who was in tbe room, remark something about tbe Kmplre Hotel Mr M'C.hio and the accused tbea went outside. Witness coold not say If acoused was drank or sober. Ee could not esy whether the messenger's reotn was open or shnt prior to h's hearing accrued there. At abont 11.30 witness attention was drawn by Mr M'Gbie to the tack door on the cellar floor being opto, the catch being off. Witness then went to the Empire Hotel, to find accused, bat be was not there. He then returned to the office, and made farther investigation, and found the pair of shoes produced outside tbe cellar door, on the ground. The inner door of the cellar, leading upstairs, was looked. On the 17th, at 930 am„ he saw accused, with Detective O'Brien, near the Junction Hotel. They afterwards met Ber. geanta O'Grady and Dwyer, who had the ■hoes. Witness then left the party. Samuel Courtney, messenger and caretaker at the Post office, sild he «uw the oater door of the cellar room secure between 9 and 10 p,m. on the 16th lost. Gavin M'Ghle said abont 10.30 he was on duty in tbe Telegraph Office when he saw the accused in the messengers' room, when he asked witness if that was the door to the hoteL Witness askei which hotel he meant. Accused replisd the Imperial. Witness showed tbe man tbe building. He could not say whether he had aoy boots on or not. Be appeared sober enough and spoke ssnribly. J. M. Smith gave evidence to the effect that he saw the accused at tbe Empire Hotel on tbe night of the 16tb, when he noticed tbe man hid no hoots on, and his stockings were muddy. Being asked where his boots were accused aald in No. 14. Witness went to the room in question, but there were no boots there. The time was 11 o'c'ock. The man was muddled, but not drank. Detective O'Brien said be arrested the accused in the house of Mis* J. Lawson and charged him with forcing open one of tbe door* cf the Post Office. When the boots now in Conrt were brought to the Police Station by Sergeant O'Grady the accused admitted they were bis. This completed the evidence for the prosecution.

For tbe defence tbe accused, on being sworn, said he was at Otiake on the 15th and came to Oamara on the 16th. Four days prior to the 15tb ho had been ploughing, but before that he bid been on the spree at Dnnedin, Oamaru, and Kurow. He came to Qim.ro for the purpose of goiog to Dun»din again. He hid six whiskies between Duntroon and Oamaru, and then went to tbe Northern Sotel and had three more and one at the Empire: He went to South Oamrrn In a cab and returned with a girl and had some tee In a hotel. He did not know what transpired after. He had no recollection of seeing the witness M'Ghle, or of being in the Post Office. Thr boots produced were his. Be could remember nothing more till he saw Detective O'Brien the next morning. The accused was discharged.