SUPREME COURT SITTINGS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 14439, 4 February 1909, Page 8

SUPREME COURT SITTINGS.

(Vesi Press Association.) .UX'KLAXD, I'Hruary 2. At the S:i|iU'iiie Court to-day lirncst Wilson, B, WiW. tonvictfii on three I'liarj;'.!! ol iui-g.'i-y and uttering at New LMvin.nilli, 'tn:l was sentenced lo [8 months' imprisonment. John .Marjoiibanks Steele, alias Richard Hammond, was <dr'4» convicted oi iurgery, and was sentenced to nvo years. Gustave Solomon, alias riujimi.-, who stole a quantity of copjier wire from the Tramways Company's farm, mtived two yeiirs, ami Harold Herbert JJre.-sey, for theft from his employer, was sentenced to two yeans. Oeorge llennis, a young man, who had [jievioiitly been convicted at X a pier in 1899 for t-liei't, was tip on three charges of foist l pretences, extending Lolwi.cn November 20 and December 5 last, sentenced to two years. George Cursoti. alias Wilson, a young mini, came up for sentence on a. charge of forgery and uttering, lie was r-ent to gaol for 18 months. Henry .Maddock, convicted of breaking and entering, wa G sentenced to two years, and Joseph Duff, charged with theft, received six months.

WELLINGTON, February 3. The criminal sessions of the Supreme Court- commenced to-day before Mv Justice Cooper. In charging tho Grand Jury his Honor slid lie regretted- that there was a considerable amount of biMiicss to transact. There were 37 charts against. Id different persons. Many of the cases came from country districts; still it was to be regretted that the calendar was larger than usual in Wellington, and the oH'enccs which were changed against the respective persons were for the moat part of a serious nature. There were a number of cases of house-breaking, assault and robbery, and highway robbery, indicating the presence A a number of undesirable people.

George Wood Icy, a youth, on two charges of forgery at Palmcrston, was sentenced to' 12 months' imprisonment, with the provision that he may be removed to the Industrial School; l-'rcderick W. Dauderson, for theft Iron' a dwelling at Wuvctiey, received two years' imprisonmejit; and -William G. lilinn, for bieaking and entering, received live years. James Kay lloi-setiekl was sentenced to two years' imprisonment with hard labour for breaking, entering, and thieving at I'almerston North. .Samuel Keswick, for cattle-stealing (six charges!, was «enlenuxl to live* years' imprisonment with hard labour, and David Herbert Caivosso was ;eiit*ii<-e\l to 12 months bard labour for forgery and uttering at Mastorton. Omri.gio Tolley and Charles Henderson, for six otfenc«.s of breaking and entering and thieving in the Masterfon and Carterton districts were each sentenced to seven vears' hard labour Harry Honrickson. an eldei-1 y ma.il. was sentenced' lo seven gears' hard labour for breaking, entering, and stealing at Wellington (two charges). Mit lord George Burgess. 21 years of ago, pleaded "Guilty" to 11 charges of breaking. entering, and thieving in and around Wellington. It was shown that there was a long list, of convictions against the prisoner for offences committed in Australia, and he was sentenced to seven years' imprisonment, and was declared an habitual criminal. Henry Williams, alias Watson Harry, alias Frienberg, was sentenced to five years' hard labour (inbreaking, entering, and stealing. Joseph Norman was charged with attemptinc on November 20 to murder Alexander Armstrong. the governor of Wellington Terrace Gaol, where Norman was a prisoner. Norman, it was stated, stabbed Mr Armstrong in the back of the neck with a chisel. Had Mr Armstrong turned but a fraction of an inch just before the blow was struck it must have been fatal. Tho prisoner said lie had no witnesses to call. He would not give evidence, and he did not care, anyhow. Ever since he had been in goal they had been frying to hill him with gases and stuff thoy put on his face. The jury found accused guilty of wounding and doing actual bodily harm with the intention of doing grievous bodily harm. His Honor said pi •isoner should le brought up on Monday for sentence, and be examined by two doctors in the me-in-time to soe if he was sane. Edward Richard Black admitted six charees of breaking entering, and stea ling. It was shown that the prisoner had served many sentences for sarions crimes since 1593. He was sentenced to seven years' hard labour, and was declared an habitual criminal. Frederick Arnold was convicted of common assault, and was remanded lor sentence.

1 lie Grand Jury found no bill in the case of Robert Charles Collins, who was charged with manslaughter in connection with the death of a man named Ferguson. Ii wa? alleged that on a Saturday night m December Collins struck Ferguson <i bto.Wj. km the effects ot which he died.

Collins said Ferguson was making a disturbance, and ho merely pushed him, and that as Ferguson was standing on the edge of the footpath and was not sober he fell. TIMARU. February 2. Al the Supreme Court, for dealing a brief bag containim; £70 in money from a publican's booth at the Pleasant Point races 111 December, Joseph Koburn, a. bookmaker's clork. was sentenced to six months' imprisonment. February 3. The Supreme Court sessions closet! this afternoon, when Geo. S. I'ezzant was acquitted on a charge of forgery and T. Moses of a charge of perjury in a lower court civil case for.a small amount.