CITY POLICE COURT.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 10621, 13 October 1896, Page 4

CITY POLICE COURT.

■ « ■ — Monday, October 12. ■ ; (Before Messrs W. Ward'rop, J. Horsburgh, and A. Herdi_an,.-".P.'s.) Drunkenness.—Three first offenders were convicted ana discharged, and John Murphy, against whom there were two previous convictions, waa fined ss, iv default 24 hours'imprisonment. 'I HE!T.—An elderly man named James Crichton pleaded ho.t guilty to a charge oi stealing a clock, on the 10th inst., valued at ss, the property of Frederick Charles NevilK— Sergeant O'Neill stated that accused stayed at the Spanish Restaurant for some day., and on Saturday the clock from the kitchen disappeared. It was found that accused had given it to a person named King, with a request that lie would pawn it, stating that it belonged to him. King pawned the clock, and it was subsequently identified by the owner as his-roperty.—Evidence was-given by' Frederick Charles Neville (restaurant keeper), Charles King (carter), and .Samuel Shields (pawnbroker), after which the bench decided to hear a second charge of havin», on the 9tb inst., stolen a hammer, valued at 4s, the property of John Lee.— Accused pleaded not guilty*.—Sergeant O'Neill stated that on the 9th inst. accused went tb the new gaol in High street, and inteiviewed one of the workmen and represented that he was hard up. He left the building after a,little, and immediately the hammer was missel. The police were informed, and found that accused bad sold it to a man named Pottit.—Evidence was given by John Lee (carpenter) aud Walter Pettit (stonemason).— Sergeant O'Neill having.mentioned that accused had heen twice convicted for drunkenness, he was convicted a_d sentenced to seven days' imprisonment on each charge, the sentences to run concurrently. (Mr Herdman left the bench.)

Indecent Assault. —Harry M'Coll was charged with indeceDtly assaulting a youns girl at Caversham on tbe -9th September.—Mr Hanlon ap, peared for accused.—The court having been cle-ed at the request of Chief Detective O'Connor, he staled the facts, which were that the girl, w.bo was 14 or 15 years of age, was going home from school by the train to Mosgiel, and when the train was in the tunnel the assault complained of was committed.—Evidence having been given, Mr Hanlon said he did not propose to address the bench on the facts. He would merely say that the evidence was wholly of a moat unsatisfactory character. There were not two witnesses who had told the same story—they had all differed on some material point. The witness Conn was the only on* who. connected the accused with the offence, and his evidence was not worthy of credence, and counsel put it to the bench that what he had said was most unreliable. He had said he had turned on this man because he was afraid the man would turn on him.—The Bench considered there was a case to answer, and committed accused for trial, bail being allowed—himself in £40, and two sureties of £20 each. :