CITY POLICE COURT.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 16239, 24 November 1914, Page 3

CITY POLICE COURT.

Monday, November 23. (Before Mr J. R. Bartholomew, S.M.) Nuisances. —Walter Lasper, charged with casting offensive matter in tlie street, pleaded "Guilty," and was fined ss, and for drunkenness woe also fined a like amount, in default 48 hours' imprisonment.- Janus Andrew, charged witn casting offensive matter in the street, mas convicted and discharged. Idle and Disorderly.—Walter Thompson, charged with being an idle and disorderly person, was remanded for medical examination. Isabella Garriok, similarly charged, and also with habitually consorting wito thieves, was sentenced to two montns' imprisonment. Theft.—James Brown, an old man, was charged with stealing a tennis ball and a pair of socks, the property of the Anderson Bay Associated Tennis Club. He was remanded for a week. Bail was fixed —himself in £5 and one surety of the same amount.

A Disorderly Trio. —Mary Ethel Ranger, a girl of about 20 years, was charged with being 1 an idle and- disorderly [hereon.—-Senior Sergeant Dart said the girl was quite beyond parental control, and was leading a bad life. One night recently she was found in an unoccupied house in Cumberland street and misbehaving herself with two men.—The accused was committed to the Salvation Army Reformatory Home for 12 months. The two men referred to in the girl's oaae —Richard Wm. Thompson and Edward Tobin—were charged with being rogues and vagabonds.—Mr Irwin, on behalf of the accused, said they were working men who had been in the same employ for years. Mr Irwin asked for a remana till Wednesday, which was granted. Bail was fixed) at £10 for each and one surety of £10.

Alleged Forgeries.—David Murray Dickson was charged that: (1) On November 13 be made a false document (a cheque for £7 9s 6d on the Bank of New Zealand), purporting to be signed by W. Diokson, caused Alexander Stewart to act upon it; (2) on November 17, made a false document (a cheque for £8 on the Bank of New Zealand, South Dunedin), purporting to be signed by J. M. Dickson, and attempted to cause Peter Riley to act upon it as if genuine; (3) on November 13, did, with intent to defraud, obtain by valueless cheque the sum of £5; (4) on November 16, did make a false document cheque for £8 on the Bank of New Zealand), purported to be signed by J. M. Dickson, and did cause Ernest Eli Rowe to act upon it as if genuine.—Chief Detective Herbert said that the accused: induced a cabman named Riley to obtain some blank cheques, and then filled them in and got them cashed in the ordinary way, without taking any steps to avoid discovery. One clieque wms taken to Mr Stewart, at tlie Law Courts Hotel, and, as Mr Stewart knew tho accused to be one ot tine Djoksoiis. it was oasned.~-Peter iiiiey, cabman, deposed that he got tJie blank cheques lor tne accused iroin Mr Watson, ot tne Commercial Hotel. He had seen accused batore, and he (accused) liad boon urnikuig. On one occasion accused went to witness's .house and asked him to get a blank cheque, and witness got one at vvoifenden's. iuter on the accused asked him to gut a clieque cashed tiiat tney would not oash at tne Waterloo Hotel. Witness tried to cash it at the Commercial Hotel, but Mr Watson was not there. —'i'hos. Uraoe, manager of tlie Metropolitan Hotel, deposed that accused, with a man named Jonri Smith, went to the hotel and asked lor a blank cheque. Accused lilted it up for £5, and witness cashed it. The cheque was paid in and tound valueless, —i'jnest Eli Rowe, licensee of the Shiel Hill Hotel, said the accused tendered toe cheque for £8 in payment for his lunch, and he received in return some cash, and witness's own cheque for the balance. Accused was sober, and said the cheque was one from his uncle (Mr J. M. Dickson).—James M. Dickson, retired farmer, said the accused was a relative of his. The signature on the cheque produced was not his, and bo had never authorised accused to dra.v cheques in his name. — Detective Sergeant Ward said that, when he was arrested, the accused said he was going to the war, and his uncle (Mr J. M. Dickson) had told him, if ho wanted money, to get a cheque and sign it in his name. When asked how it was he came to sign one cheque W. Dickson accused said, "1 must have been drunk." —The accused, lor .whom Mr Brasch appeared, pleaded "Not guilty," and reserved his defence. He was committed for trial. Bail was fixed, himself in £200, and two sureties of £100 each or one of £200.