POLICE COURT. THIS DAY.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 8833, 17 July 1890, Page 2

POLICE COURT. THIS DAY.

Thursday, July 17.— Before C. C. Kettle, Esq., R.M. STEALING A CHEQUE. William Harland, a youth about 16 years of age, was charged on remand that he did on July 9, at Okato, steal a cheque valued at £3 the property of Walter Henry Clarke. Accused in reply to the Bench said he would prefer being tried summarily In answer to the charge accused stated that he was guilty of finding the cheque^ but not of stealing it, which plea was taken as one of not guilty. Mr Pardy called Walter Henry Clarke, a -youth of 18, who said ho was a groom at Okato for Mr McCullum, coach proprietor. M. Stewart and witness bachelorised at Okato, ami witness let accused, whom he knew, stay at the house. He stayed at the house a- out 9 days, and left for New Plymouth by the coach on July 9. In the afternoon of the same day witness missed the cheque, which witness had received from his employer, McCullum. It was his name in the body of the cheque produced. He left the cheque in his purse in his trousers pocket in his bedroom. He thought tho cheque he received was dated July 5, but it might have been July 4. He got the cheque from his employer for wages. By His Worship : He did not authorise accused to cash the cheque, or to take it. Accused saw witness receive the cheque. James McCullum stated that the cheque produced was the one he gave Clarke on July 5. He drew the cheque on July 4. William Hancock, bootmaker, said ho received the cheque produced from accused, and got it cashed at White and Carter's. He gave accused £2 7s change, as accused bought a pair of boots from him valued at 13s. Evelyn Broad, accountant at tin Colonial Bank,. stated that the cheque produced was one received from the National Bank on July 10. The cheque was debited to' McCullum's account, and was duly met for its full value.

Constable Christie, stationed at Waitara, said accused told him in Waitara that his name was Jack Smith, that he was staying at Elliot's, and carno from Huntly, in Waikato. As accused answered the description of the person who stole the cheque, ho' then arrested him. Accused said to witness, " I did not steal it ; I found it." Witness said, " Your name is not Smith, then ?" and accused replied, "No; it is Harland." In answei to the Magistrate, William Hancock said he got the cheque from accused about 4 o'clock. His Worship said the evidence was perfectly clear that accused stole the cheque. After reading the Probation Officer's report, His Worship inflicted a sentence of three months' with hard labor. Tho Court rose.