ALLEGED CATTLE STEALING

Otago Witness, Issue 3400, 14 May 1919, Page 8

ALLEGED CATTLE STEALING

THE JURY DISAGREE. TIMARU, May 7. The Supreme Court was occupied all day over a charge against an elderly couple named Tarrant, dairy farmers, of Temuka, of stealing several, head of cattle between March and July last year. The 'owner lost a number of cattle by straying, and failed to recover a few of them. In November he recognised three of them on the farm cf another person who had bought them from accused. The female accused was the owner of the farm, and did the business. Both denied the charge, and gave evidence regarding the purchase of the three beasts. This evidence was not in way corroborated, while the claimant had several witnesses for identification. The female accused had signed an agreement to pay for these and other cattle to save trouble, but she declared that it was. done against her better judgment, and she had not paid the monev. The jury disagreed. May 8. The Supreme Court was" occupied till a late hour over the cattle-stealing cases. In the second case against the_ Tarrants (husband and wife) the jury disagreed, and a new trial was ordered at the next session. At the retrial of the first case, heard yesterday, the jury acquitted the accused.