CITY POLICE COURT

Otago Daily Times, Issue 14785, 18 March 1910, Page 7

CITY POLICE COURT

Tiiuiisday, March 17. (Before Mr 11. Y. Widdowson, S.M.) Drunkards. —Two first offenders wcro lined 5s and 10s respectively for drunkenness, with the usual alternatives of imprisonment for non-payment. Theft.—Alexr. Johnston, after having been fined 5s for drunkenness, . pleaded "Guilty " to a charge of stealing t\vo blankets, valued at 12s, the property of Win. Badnian, the proprietor of the Albion Boiirding-housc. Tho blankets wore found in tho possession of the accused when ho was arrested for drunkenness.—Johnston said ho was a hardworking inan, but took tho blankets whilo drunk.—Seven previous convictions wcro <wlmittcd, and accuscd was senlenced to one mouth's imprisonment.

Alleged Theft from a Dwelling.—Anthony Reuben Anderson was charged with having on (ho 15th inst. stolen from tho dwelling of Thomas Shonvood Toinlinson the sum of 30s. Mr D. D. Macdonald appeared for accused, a boy—Chief Detective Herbert said accused had been on light bail in connection with several charges of breaking and entering. Whilst on bail on Tuesday mid directly after reporting himself at the l'olico Station, ho went straight to this dwelling niul entered by a door that had been loft open by a relative of the owner. This relative had been visiting, and the owner lef). the door open, thinking it would be all right, because tho visitor had slept thoro that night, and would be back directly. The ocoupunt did go back, and after shaving himself had occasion to go to the wardrobe, in which he found the ace-used hidden, Accused was barefooted. Tho visitor asked what ho was doing thore, and the boy (old /a tale to the effect that iio was starving, and came to look for food, adding that his father was a' sea captain j who had been drowned, and his mother was unkind to him. The hoy' also said:

" You. can search me—l stole nothing. Search ine and let mo go." The man did not, search him. If lio had he would have foun<l in his pockets tho stolen money, also a gold brooch, two gold earrings, a silver medal, a bunch of keys, and a shirt, stuil, of tho total value of £10. He asked for a remand on this charge. and submitted that it would be preposterous to fix bail for a boy like accused.—Mr Widdowsou: I saw Mr Axclsen this morning, and lie said iho would 'not take charge of him.— Mr .aincdonald: In the circumstances 1 would not ask for bail. lie is better, where he is.—His Worship: Ma can l» kept by himself.—Mr Mncdonnld: I hope that will b« so. lam led to believe that ho is slightly irresponsible. . I think I will liavo him medically oxamined.—Accused was remanded till Monday.

Assault,—Lin Foon' pleaded "'Not' guilty" to using obscene language in Stafford street on the 14th inst., timl with unlawfully assaulting Clifford Balchim on the same date.—Mr Scurr, who appeared for the accused, raised the point that the police had no right, to arrest the accused without a warrant, but as his Worship pointed out that, if discharged on ono charge tile accused could bo immediately arrested on another. The point was not, pressed.—lsabella Garrick and Elizabeth M'Donald, who live in a right-of-way near Lin Foon, gave evidence as to the language used and the violent conduct of the Chinaman, who carried ; a butcher's knife.—For tho defenco Sir Scitrr contended that no such language had been used, and that the knifo found in Lin Food's possession was not used against any person, though four men went, into his shop and assaulted him.—The Accused, who was sworn on the Bible,-volubly denied, partly in broken English and partly through an interpreter, the charges laid against him.—ln mitigation Mr Scurr uiycd that Lin Foon was a beer-drinker, unci was liable to be violent when lie had taken 100 much.—The Rev. A. Don said ho boliovedtlie accused would behave properly if kept away from drink-.—His Worship issued a prohibition order against Lin Foon. anil fined him £5 for tho assault and £3 for using obscene language, with costs, the order not to be enforced for a month'.