KIRBY AND BASSETT.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXIII, Issue 7665, 27 June 1896, Page 2

KIRBY AND BASSETT.

■ ♦ Wellington, last night. Kirby and Bassett were brought before the Court at 3 p.m. There were two charges against the former, the first of blackmailing John Herman, at Timaru, about January 31st, 1882, by threatening to accuse him of an abominable crime and extorting a gold watch ; the second of extorting two cheques for £400 and £300 by similar means at the same date. Bassett was accused of aiding Kirby to escape from tho colony. J)r Findlay, who appeared for Kirby, applied for a remand in the absence of Sir Robert Stout and Mr Jellicoe, both of whom were unable to bo present. The Crown opposed the remand, on the grounds that accused had had plenty of time to instruct his counsel, but chose to leave the colony instead of surrendering to bail. Mr Martin, S.M., refused the remand, but ultimately, on the Crown agreeing, the case was postponed till to-morrow. No application was made for bail. Bassetb was remanded till Wedneaday, hail being grunted in two sureties of £200 each. Mr Wilford, who appeared for the accused, thereupon said he would prefer a remand till Monday only, which was agreed to. On the passage over Kirby and Basaett had food given to them chopped up, and ate it with wooden forks and spoons, no knives being allowed. The three New Zealand police officers and accused occupied a large cabin in the fore part of the ship, and accused were never left alone, a system of watches being arranged by which one of the police was always awake. Kirby did not go on deck at all, and Bassett only occasionally, therefore, owing to the close confinement, the cabin became very stuffy, and the passage across was far from an agreeable one. To-day. — The case against Kirby began this morning in the Magistrate's Court before Mr Martin, Sir Robert Stout appeared for the defence, and Mr Gray prosecuted for the Crown. J. Herman, a hairdresser, deposed that ho carried on business in Timaru some years ago. Kirby came to him showing a piece of bluo paper and stating that he had a warrant for his arrest. Kirby said witness would get ten years and his property would bo confiscated. Witness denied the charge, and Kirhy said if witness would hand over £300 or £400 it would be all right, and added that lie wanted the money at once. Witness drew a cheque for £100 and paid Kirby, then another £100, and as Kirby was bothering him still he gave him a further sum. He thought £300 in all was paid. Kirby kept at him, and he sold his business, which realised £1200. The day before he left Timaru Kirby asked for a further sum of £400 to square up the father and mother. Kirby did not say whoso father or mother. Kirby frightened him, and he agreed to pay. No one was present when the money w»b paid, and the cheques produced were those he got cashed for Kirby. The latter also demanded his gold watch, which had cost witness £38, and it was given him. Witness left Timaru on February 20th, 1882, for London via Melbourne, and returned to New Zealand in September, 1894. On arrival in Wellington a month later a man named Kellon called on witness, requesting him to go to Napier to see Kirby, but. witness declined until he saw his solicitor. Cross-examined, witness said he might have had £100 with Kirby on Dunedin races. If so, he had not paid the money. He did not remember telling a man that it had cost £1000 to square a boy's father, nor did he remembor a conversation with a man named Robson concerning the boy Griffin. His betting, transactions with Kirby were not many. Witness 1 assistant might have been present when tho money was paid, as he had told witness that ho had heard part of what was said. Frank George, the assistant referred to, was nuxt examined. He said that the night before Herman left Timaru he returned to the shop. The doors were locked, and he looked through ihe window and saw Herman und Kirby at the table, the latter pocketing a roll of notes. George said he thought Herman had a silver watch. He had heard it stated that Kirby was driving Herman out of the town. James Kellow, accountant at Hayman and Co.'s, deposed that he veceived a telegram from Kirby asking him to see Herman, and toask him to visit Napier. After consulting a solicitor Herman refused. Witness then arranged for Herman's solicitor to go to Napier, and witness guaranteed £10 expenses. Subsequently a letter was received from Kirby staling that the affair had been arranged satisfactorily. At 12 30 the Court adjourned until Monday morning. The Court was crowded. Kirby watched the case very closely, and prompted counsel with notes,