A DRUNKARD'S FREAK.

Poverty Bay Herald, 12 September 1879, Page 2

A DRUNKARD'S FREAK.

A peculiar case was tried at Normanby before Captain Wray, R.M. H.H. Jaokell. A member of theA.C. Force was charged with horse-stealing. It appears that he had been drinking at Normanby on last Sunday week, and about eight o'clock he went to the hotel stables and took a horse with saddle and bridle on it, belonging to Mr. Riddifeld. He then rode to Waihi, and told the sentry that the Ministry were out, and that he had got a telegram from Mr. Ormond to proceed at once to Parihaka and capture Hiroki ; at. the same time asking for the loan oir^^te He then rode off, but passing the^H doubt at the Waingongoro Bridge^^l was challenged, but to pass tliis he n^H use of his inventive faculties, and cocted a story to the sergent in cha^H to the followingeffeot :— Colonelßob^H ordors double your sentries, keep^H men under arms, tell Sergent Strac^H at Livingstone's house to take posses^H of the bridge.- When asked if he any writing to that effect he said orders were verbal, and that he had^H once to go on to Opunake. It wa^H frightful night, raining and hailing^H through, but the Constabulary tun^H out to the supposed orders, and \^^| marching about all night, and u-^^H next day, when an orderly came t^^M Waihi, and not until then did they^^l out it was a shameful hoax. The was captured at Opunake aboi^H o'clock on Monday mornnig on a ch^^| of horse-stealing. He was discha^^l on the ground that there was not^^l cient evidence to prove felony It i^^H ported that he is to be court-marti^^H on a charge of desertion'and giving alarms. >^^H