DUNEDIN POLICE COURT.

Otago Witness, Issue 2923, 23 March 1910, Page 63

DUNEDIN POLICE COURT.

Thursday, March Vf. (Before Mr H. Y. Widdowson, S.M.) Theft. —Alexr. Johnston, after having been lined 5s for drunkenness, pleaded " Guilty " to a charge of stealing two kets, valued at 12s, the property of Wm. : Badman, the proprietor of the Albion Boarding house. The blankets were found in the possession of the accused when he was arrested for drunkenness.—Johnston, said be was a hardworking man, but took the blankets while drunk.—Seven previous convictions were admitted, and accused was sentenced to one month's imprisonment. Alleged Theft from a Dwelling.—Anthony Reuben Anderson was charged with having on the 15th inst. stolen from the dwelling of Thomas Sherwood Tomlinson the sum of 50s. 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, and directly after reporting himself at the Police Station, he went straight to this dwelling and entered by a door that ha<| been left open by a relative of the owner.. This relative had been visiting, and the owner left the door open, thinking !t ;ould be all right, because the visitor had slept there that night and would be back directly. The occupant did go back, and after shaving himself had occasion to go to the wardrobe, in which he found the accused hidden. Accused was barefooted.-. The 'visitor asked what he was doing there, and the boy told a tale to the effect that he was starving, and came to look for food, adding that his fatner was a sea captain, who had been drowned, and his mother was unkind to him. The boy also said: " You. can search me—l stole nothing. Search me and let me go." The man did not search him. If he had he would have found in his pockets the ' stolen money, also a gold brooch, two gold earrings, a silver medal, a bunch of kevs. and a shiri stud, of the total value of £lO. He asked for a remand on this sharge. and submitted that it would be preposterous to fix bail Eor a boy like accused. —Mr Widdowson: T mw Mr Axelson this morning, and ho said he would not take charge of him.- — Mr Macdonald: In the circumstances I would not ask for hail. He is better where he is.—His Worship: He can be kept hy himself. —Mr Macdonald: I hope that'will he so. I am led to believe that he is slightly irresponsible. T think I ".ill have him medirallv examined. —Accused wn's remanded all Monday. Assault, —Lin Foon pleaded "Not »uilty'.' to using obscene language in Stafford street on the 14th inst., and with unlawfully assaulting Clifford Balchim on the sa»i« date.—Mr Scurr, who appeared for the accused, raised the point that the policft had no right to arrest the accuser] withou* a. warrant, but as his Worshio pointed out that if discharged on one charge the accused could be immediately arrested on . another, the point was not pressed.—lsabella Carrirk and Elizabeth M'Dnnald, wEi-i live in- a right-of-way near Lin Foon. gava evidence as to the language used and tJ » violent conduct of the Chinaman, who c. V ried a butcher's knife.—For the defene»: Mr Scurr contended that no such language had »een used, and that i:he knife foun-.l ii. Lin Foon's possession was not Kjed against anv person, though fou.r men -went into his shop and assaulted him. —Th*-. Accused, who was sworn on the Bible,, volubly denied partly in broken English anci partly through nn interpreter, the chs>ri«s laid against, him.—ln mitigation Mi that Lin Foon was a beer-drinker, and was liable to he violent when he hnd takfin too much.—The Bev. A. Don said he helievpd the accused would beh?ve r.ropevly ; f kent awav from drink.—His T -Vorship issued a prohibition order against Lin Foon. and fined him £5 for .theeassault and €1 for using obscene language, with cost"?, tho order not to be enforced for a month.