Magisterial.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 253, 5 March 1869, Page 2

Magisterial.

CHRISTCHURCtf. This Dat. (Before C. C. Bowen, Esq., R.M.)

Larcent.— James Burns, on remand, wu brought up in custody, charged with having stolen a quantity of. wearing apparel. R. Beattie, landlord of the Warwick Hotel, said prisoner called there on Monday last, and < aaked to leave the bundle produced for a short time, saying he had quarrelled with "the old woman." He went away, and did not return until Tuesday morning, when he aaked to let it remain a few minutes longer. Witness did not like the appearance of it, and demurred, but prisoner ultimately went away, without it. Not returning again, witness I went in the evening and informed the. police > of the matter. Subsequent to prisoner telling. _ witness he *had quarrelled with " the old woman," he said he had found the bundle, j Flora Martin identified the bundle produced at her property, and said that she left it at a . doorstep in Peterborough street, on Monday last, whilst she went to a shop for some bread. The spot where she left it was away . from the road, but when she returned it had disappeared. She valued the articles at 10s., and did not know the prisoner. In defence, prisoner said he had found the bundle, and conveyed it to. the Warwick Hotel, with the , subsequent intention of informing the police; Constable Conway said prisoner first told him, I when arrested, that the bundle was , his own property, and afterwards that he had found it. Hib Worship asked wliat was known of : prisoner's previous conduct; but it appeared that nothing definite could be arrived at, except that he had been drinking. and loafing j about, more or less, since the races. His | Worship said there could be no doubt that he had unlawfully taken the bundle, and, as proved by his contradictory answers to the police, with the intention of making away , with the clothes for his own purposes. Being, however, his first offence, he would only be committed to one month's imprisonment at hard labour.