CITY POLICE COURT.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 12483, 14 October 1902, Page 7

CITY POLICE COURT.

Monday, October 13. (Beforo Mr C. C. Graham, S.M.) Drunkenness.—Charles Martin, for having been drunk in Stuart street, was fined 10s, or 48 hours' imprisonment.—James Frederick Nelson was fined ss, or 24' hours' imprisonment, for the same offence.—John Macdonald was fined 10s, or 48 hours' imprisonment, for having been drunk on Sunday in Prinoes street.— David Stedinaa was fined 10s, or 48 hours, for having been druiik on Sunday.—Three first offenders were fined ss, or 24 hours each; and one who did not appear 20s, or 24 hours.

Damaging Prison Property.—Arthur George Hinge was charged with having, on October 10, wilfully and maliciously broken a window in His Majesty's Prison at Dunedin.—The prisoner pleaded " Not guilty."—Mr Phillips, gaoler, said the prisoner was under sentence of the Supreme Court of two years' hard labour for theft, having been committed to Dunedin Gaol in February.—-It was reported to witness that the prisoner had broken the window of his cell. Witness examined the window, and found the glass of two panes broken from the inside, th« fragments of glass lying outside.—The hole in one pane was exactly the size of the bottom of the prisoner's pannikin.—To the prisoner: Tt was possible that the window could have been broken outside and that the prisoner could have thrown the glass out.—The Prisoner:- Why am I located in that cell and undergoing punishment under an obsolete rauel task act? Why am I treated with cruelty?— The Gaoler said the cell was no different from' any other, except that it was,more convenient to keep the prisoner under close observation. He had been placed at separate work in consequence of misconduct.—The Prisoner said he had been subjected to tyranny and treated shamefully acd cruelly.—The Magistrate said if the prisoner had any complaint to anake he should make it in proper form, and have it investigated. At present the court was only concerned in the breaking of the window.—Warder Burns said he had, when locking up the prisoner on Friday afternoon, found the window broken.. The prisoner remarked that he would "have plenty of fresh air now." Witness reported the matter to the gaoler. The prisoner was tho only occupant of .the cell.—The Prisoner said he reported the window being broken to the warder, and witness said that was so.—The Prisoner desired to call witnesses to state the reasons why he had been placed in that particular cell.—The Magistrate said in that respect the prisoner had his remedy. The gaoler was responsible to the Government, and if the prisoner had a complaint he could have it inquired into.— The Prisoner said he was being treated cruelly and unjustly. He was punished on Sundays, which was against all law. Ho heard the glass fs.!l <n on Friday afternoon. He did not know what had struck it, but ho had thrown it outside.—The Magistrate said the prisoner's record was a very bad one, and there were four cases against him for misconduct. He would be sentenced to seven day 3 on bread and water.— In this case Mr J. N. Brown, J.P., a visiting jxistice to the gaol, eat on the bench with the magistrate to watch the case. Wife Desertion.—Harry Leslie Eadie waa charged with having, on September 7, at Wanganui, deserted his wife and children.— Sub-inspector Green said the accused had only been arrested that morning, and the police would apply for a remand on reasonable boil, as it was most probsblo the parties concerned would come to seme agreement.—A remand was granted for a week, bail being allowed accused in his own security of £25, with one additional surety of £25. Bail was forthcoming.

Theft.—Donald M'Corkindale was charged with having stolen, on October 9, an overcoat, of the value of £2 from the Gladstone Hotel. He -was further charged in rescect tc another overcoat from tho same hotel, and pleaded " Guilty" to both charges.—Sub-inspector Green said the accused sold one coat to a eecond-han l dealer, and then tried to sell him another. The dealer was suspicious, and informed the police. There were three previous convictions for petty theft.—The accused said he was under the influence of liquor at the time, and hardly knew what he had been doing. The, Magistrate sentenced accused to a month's imprisonment with hard labour on eacli charge, the sentences to be concurrent.