POLICE COURT. •'.::

Taranaki Herald, Volume XXVII, Issue 3226, 13 September 1879, Page 2

POLICE COURT.

Tuesday, September 9.— Bofore R. Parris, Esq., R.M., and T. King, Esq., J.P. STEALING WINE FROM THE IMPERIAL HOTEL. Richard Dal ton was brought up on remand, charged with breaking into the Imperial Kotol and stealing bottles of wino and beer on Monday last. Inspector Bullon conducted tho prosecution, and called William 11. Malcolm, who deposed that ho was barman at the Imperial Hotel. Thesketch produced showed accurately, (the( the basement' storey i 6f ; tho ' Imperial Jlotol. Tho, basement contained three npartmeuts— two cellars and a kitchen. ' Tho door of the outer cellar opens into tho yard, and in this cellar barrels of beer arc stored ; tho inner cellar being used for the purpose of storing wines, &c, in cases. Tho door between tho two cellars is always kept fastened, by a bolt on the side of the inucr cellar. The door from the inner cellar into the kitchen is secured by a lock and koy. The key is kept in the bar in charge of witness. There were liquors in the cellars on Monday last, including bottled ale and sherry wine. The two eases in Court were in the cellar on Monday, and contained a dozen bottles of? sherry* wine each. He visited the cellar on Sunday morning, ,when tho doors were all fastened. He left the cellar by tho door loading into the kitchen, locking tho door after him, and taking the key out. On Tuesday morning at 8 o'clock, in consequence of something ho had been informed, he went downstairs, where he saw Mrs. Kenny, who directed his attention to a box in tho yard, containing straw. Mrs. Kenny also showed him some bottles which wore concealed under the straw. They were bottles of ale and sherry wine. He then went to the inner cellar through the kitchen door. When he entered' the cellar he discovered that the door botween the inner cellar and the outer cellar was open, having marks upon it as if.it had been forced open. He saw the axe produced, on the floor of the cellar. The axe is not kept in tho cellar, but in the yard. There was blood on the haudle of the axe. He then examined the liquors in the cellar, and found that three cases containing sherry wine had been opened. Three bottles of wine had been taken from two cases. He also missed about a dozen small bottles of ale. Tho ale was Ehronfried's, and he did not think it was used. by any other publican in New Plymouth. He knew the prisoucr. The prisoner was in the hotel during Monday ; he was not a lodger in the hotel on Monday night ; ho saw prisoner on Tuesday about the hotel, and he was then the worse for liquor ; there was blood on tho pris&ner's hands. The prisoner was apprehended by Sergeant Duftin at 6 o'clock on Tuesday evening. Hlir.abeth Kenny deposed that she was the wife of the landlord of the Imperial Hotel. On the morning of Tuesday last she got up at 6 o'clock, and, on looking out of tho window, saw the prisoner coming from towards the cellar door ; he was drunk, and his olothos were covered with mud. She went to a box in the yard for the purpose of getting some straw to kindle the fire. She found a bottle of sherry wine on the ground near tho box. On taking the straw out of the box she discovered some bottles of ale. The barman came down into tho yard, and sho showed him the bottles. Sho went into the cellar through the kitchen door, and saw the boxes brpken open and tho axe lying beside them. She saw tho prisoner on Tuesday at 11 o'clock in the bar. Ho went down' the sidi entrance, and . looked over tho fened where tho bottles wore. He did so several .times during the day.! Tho bottles were being watched all the day. At 6.30 p.m. that evening she saw the prisoucr loavo the bar 1 and go down the side entrance into tho yard. Ho went to the case where tho bottles were/ aud was immediately apprehended by Serge-! antDtuHn, The evidence of Mr. Kenny waa also taken, which corroborated that given by the two proceeding witnesses. . - » -, Sergeant Duftin deposed id arresting the prisoner in tho yard of the Imperial Hotel, while in the act of drinking out of a : bottlo which ho had taken from the case. j A boy in tho employ of Mr. Kenny, named Jacob, who was watching the bottles during the day, saw tho prisoner go to the; case and take a bottle out of it. , This concluded the evidence, and the prisoner was committed to take his trial at the next Criminal Sessions of the Supreme Court to bo held in Taranaki. v, . , / >