POLICE COURT.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XXX, Issue 3962, 9 February 1882, Page 2

POLICE COURT.

: Thursday, Febrnarv J).— Before C. E. Rawson, Es(i., R.M., ami J. S. MoKellar, Esq., J.P. LARCENY. John Camcll was brought up on remand charged with sLcaling a b.irrol of beer, ' two stirrup irons, anil a girth, the propcrtv • oL'.I. Buddanrl. Mr. Goodall conducted the. prosecution, and Mr. Govett defended the prisoner. John Buckland deposed : On the 24th 1 December last I had a keg containing four ' gallons of beer, iron stirrups, saddle, and 1 girth in an out-building about GO feet fiom my house. I last saw, them about 6 p.m. ■ on the 24th December. The saddle was left behind, but tho stirrup irons, girth, 1 and cask of beer were stolen. 1 missed them on the following morn- ' ing, at seven o'clock. On Monday 1 last I went up tlie F^rankley Road about ! three miles from my house in company 1 with Sergeant Duffin and Constable Roche. 1 We entered defendant's. house and searched ' for tho articles I had lost. I found the ! stirrup irons and girth between the ceiling 1 and the roof. I saw the constable pull a cask out of some scrub near the house. 1 The cask produced is the same, and is the one I lost on the 24th December last. I ' value the articles lost at .£1 os. I did not give the defendant or any other person 1 permission to take those articles away. Cross-examined : My wife first gave me ' information about the articles being at the 1 Frankley Road. I have no particular marks 1 bj* which to identify the stirrup-leathers > or girths. I only know the keg by the rag 1 which is in the bung-hole. Mr. Govett : Is there anything extra- ' ordinary about the rag by which you can 1 identify it ? Has it been long in the ; family? • Witness : I know it because it was part ' of a child's napkin ! Mr. Govett : Have you not been convicted for stealing something from Major • Brown's place. [ Witness : Yes ; and I got a month for it. ■ Sergeant Duffin stated 'that he went ivith the last witness to defendant's house, with a search warrant, and searched the house. 1 The articles produced were found in the ' house. He afterwards found defendant ' working' at Mr. Honey field's' farm, and the 1 Sergeant read the wan-ant to him, and ' charged him with stealing 'the articles 1 which were found at hig house. Carnell ■ replied that he did <noV.know anything ' about the things or who brought them to ij lxis house. 1 Constable RoChe"tleposedj that he went ' with Sergeant Duffin ahefthe, prosecutor to " search prisoner's premise's/l imd he found [ the keg produced in the scrub near the - hoii'Se?--'"-. '■'*':-,*?' ' William Seccombe, ■bre^'er, stated lie ' sold a cask of beer containing 4 gallons i to the prosecutor on the" 24th December. ' The cask produced is the same. ! This closed the case for the prosecution. 1 Robert Carnell, deposed: I have liveil ; with my brother for some time. I know a • man named Tibbins. He formerly lived b in the house now occupied by the defendant, j When my brother .went to the house Tib- ' bins cleared out. They are on very bad J terms; there having been some disputes , between them about some property. I saw Tibbins in a trap belonging to Buckland 1 on the 25th or 26th December last. 3 Cross-examined: I think it is about 14 months since Tibbins occupied the house in which my brother now lives. I was living at the house on the 24th up to the 27th December last, and I did not see anything of the cask or stirrup-irons. Jane Buckland : I know Mr. Tibbins. I - saw him last Wednesday evening in reference to some property we had lost. I told him to go and tell the police about tho property. Tt was on his information that • a warrant was issued. This concluded the evidence. ) Their Worships considered there was > not sufficient evidence to warrant them in i convicting the prisoner, and the case was : dismissed.