CITY POLICE COURT.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 11191, 13 August 1898, Page 3

CITY POLICE COURT.

* Friday, AUGUST 12. (Before Messrs G. Fenwick "and D. Ferguson, J.P.'s.) Bad Language.—Harry Sampson pleaded guilty to having, on the 23rd July, between Pelichet Bay and Ravensbourne, behaved 'in an offensive manner to others in a railway carriage. —Sergeant O'Neill said that the information i was laid under section 301 of "The Public I Works Act, 1894." Accused was a passenger by I the 10 p.m. train to Port Chalmers on the date I mentioned. He travelled second-class, and on the way down made use. of very filthy language. He was somewhat the worse of drink St the time, but that was, of course, ( no justification.—Accused said, in explanation, .that he vvas drunk, and knew nothing of the occurrence.—A fine of 20s was imposed, with costs, _19s Ad. A week was allowed in which to pay the money. Theft from' a Dwelling.—An elderly man named Peter Robertson vvas charged with the theft, on the 6th inst., of a vest, valued at 10s, and a strap and a pair of trousers, valued at 21s, the property of Mary Ann Lehman, with whom the 'owners boarded.—Chief Detective O'Brien, who conducted the prosecution, said that the owners of the property and a young man named ■William M'Donald were boarders at Mrs Lehman's- restaurant. On Saturday last, about \ o'clock in the afternoon, James Humphries, one of the owners ofthe property, went out, and returned about 3 o'clock. The key of the room hum* on a-nail at the side of the door, and could be obtained by anyone knowing where it was. It would be shown that accused was seen in the house between the. hours mentioned, md on the Sunday following Constable ■ Boddam went to ! his house at St. Kilda, and found the stolen nroperty there. This accused claimed as his, owiJ; - Evidence was given by James I Humphrey, AVilliam M'Donald, James MunI' day md Constable Boddam.-Accused had ! nothing to say, and was committed for trial.—He was further charged with stealI in^- on the 16th June, a serge coat, a spectaclecase, 2 silk handkerchiefs, a purse, a memoran-dum-book, and £5 in money, the property of ' Arthur William Walker. - Chief Detective ' O'Brien said that prosecutor was a carpenter, ' and resided at Mrs Lehman's-restaurant. On i tho 16th of June last he left the coat with the ! pocket-book, money, and other articles in-the i pocket, hanging up iv his bedroom. Ho did I not lock the-door on leaving the place. Un returning in the afternoon of the same day he I found the things were missing. The coat, spec-

[ taclecase, and pocket-book were found at ar ■ cused's house. —Accused tried to make an e>: plauation about them, saying that the spectaclewero sent him by his wife from Auckland.thath bought the coat in Maclaggan street, and fouxi tho pocket-book in a bag of rags.—Evidenc-. having been given, accused, who had nothim i to say, was committed for trial. | Youthful Offender.—David Isaac Rogers (IC was charged witn having, on the 7th inst., a Kaikorai. Valley, broken and entered the housi of John Isaacs, and stolen therefrom postagi stamps to the value of 3s.—Chief Detecfciv. O'Brien stated Ithat the information was laic under section 256 of the Criminal Code. Thi facts were that Mr Isaacs was the proprietor o: a bonedust manufactory at Kaikorai Valley, tht manager of which was aMr Turner. The build ing, from tbe nature of tho works, was not fre> from openings, but there was an office attaches to the building whicb was very secure, and coulu only be entered by unlocking the door, break- ■ ing the window, or removing an iron slide. Mi Turner would say that he locked this office bi; Saturday afternoon. Inside the office there was, a desk, in which were drawers, and in these drawers postage, stamps were kept.. On Sunday j between half-past 5 and a quarter to 6 o'clock a man named Harneiss happened to be passing j the building, while attending to the horses, and his attention was attracted by a light shining j through the window of the factory. Harneisß : found one of the.doors, which was usually secured by a bolt from the inside, open. On enj tering the building he found six candles burn- : ing close to the shoot. He extinguished the lights, and .reported tbe matter to Mr Turner, tbo manager, and informed him that an attempt had been made to burn down the premises. He (Chief Detective O'Brien) was sent for, and examined the place where the candles had been • burning, and found that no harm could havt i beeu done by them if they had been allowed .to burn out. On making a further examinatioi. 1 he found that the office had been entered, ant! : the drawers in the desk forced open by means o : a small screwdriver. Mr Turner missed sonii I stamps. Accused had been employed at tii. | works previously, and had absented himse: > from work, leaving a week's money due. H ; (the detective) interviewed accused, who sj i mittcd that he'had lit 10 candles, for what re-, son he could not say. . He also admitted havu,. got into'the office by the iron slide, and haviii forced the drawers with the screwdriver foui there, and taken the stamps. Ho said he h-.; taken tho stamps home. The speaker accoi panied accused to his home at Mornington, a: on seeing-the mother asked for thei stamps, whi, she gave him, saying that her son had told h that he had found tbem.—Evidence was giv>. by Ernest Turner, Robert Harneiss, and Chi Detective O'Brien. The mother, Mrs Conni; was asked by the Bench what ago the boy wito which she replied that he was 15 years of aj. —Ths Bench asked her if he was a wild bo. to which she said no; that he 'was not a. trouble.—The Bench were very reluctant to s.ei. accused, seeing his youth, to the* Suprcn Court, but there was no alternative, the ca: was so clear.—Tho chief detective remarked th; there was no provision for dealing summari;, with such cases, and intimated that small ba .^ would be satisfactory to the police.—Accuse was committed for trial, bail being allowed :.. two sureties of £5 each.