CHRISTCHURCH.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 277, 3 April 1869, Page 2

CHRISTCHURCH.

This Day. (Before C. B. Bowen, Esq., R.M., and W, 3 Reeves, Esq.) Lahceny as a Bailee. —John Henry Cator 1 was brought up in custody charged with this offence, and was defended by Mr Joynt, Mi fc Cowlishaw watching the case on behalf of i the prosecution —Henry Feast, detective in 3 the Canterbury police force, said : From in--1 structions received last night, I went in com--2 pany with Constable Halloran to the Racecourse railway station. We came by the lust - up-train to Aldington, where we got out, and were joined by Sergt Jeffrey. The prisoner l who was also a passenger, got out at the same b time, having a saddle and a sack with j him. I accosted him, saying that 1 - had a warrant to search his luggage, 3 and at ray suggestion we all proceeded to Feather's Hotel, on the Lincoln road, where 3 we were joined by Sergt. Purdy. At the prii soner's request I showed him the warrant, s and he then handed me the keys of his bag, , which was in the sack. I searched the bag. but not finding what I looked for, locked it £ up again. I then took up his coat, which he 3 had placed on a chair when entering tli€ i room, and in the pockets I found the riding j boots produced, rolled up. Prisoner said i they were his old ones, and on looking inside r one of them I found a quantity of bank notes, f which I laid on the table. In the other I alsc - found a further number of notes, and placed t them with the others. I counted them in - the presence of the police and Mr W. Wil- - s-on, and found there were £2000 in £IC i Bank of Australian notes (Dunedin 3 Branch), and £1200 in £5 notes on the same t bank. I then charged prisoner with having I stolen them, and cautioned him in the usual b manner, but did not receive a reply. I next

commenced to search his person, when hi gave me £100 in £5 notes on the same banl as the others, and said they belonged to tin same lot. I also found £70 12s, which hi said belonged to himself. I then brough prisoner to Christchurch. When going t( Feather's, from the station, prisoner told mi that he had intended to leave his bag there and then get a horse at the Royal or Fran] Slee's, on which to go home. By Mr Joynt I think prisoner had the coat on his am when he entered the room ; at all events, ', saw him throw it on to the chair. Aftej I found the money, prisoner said i was his own property. By Sergeant Pardy Prisoner threw the coat on to the chair whils I had my back turned to him in getting i light. Sergeant Pardy here produced tw> parcels which, the witness identified as con taining the notes found in prisoner's boots and sealed up at Feather's Hotel, and also, smaller one, containing the 20 £5 notes foum on prisoner's person. Sergeant Pardy swort handed in a telegram received from th Inspector of Police at Timaru, and on whicl the police had acted. He said the police ha been unable to procure all the necessar; evidence, a 9 witnesses would have to b brought from Oamaru, Timaru, and th Waitaki, and he would therefore ask for remand. Mr Joynt objected, on the groun that there was nothing whatever to show tha the prisoner had taken the money a 9 charged His Worship replied that indirect evidence o such a proceeding was sufficient to justify remand for more complete evidence. M Joynt said he could assure the Benc that he had exceedingly good grounds for defence, and being in a position to show tha there was no case, hoped that Mr Wilson, t whom the money belonged, and who ws present in court, should be called to give hi evidence. His Worship said he was prepare to receive all the available evidence, bi Sergt. Pardy objected .to Mr Wilson beid called. He said the police were in a moi anomalous position respecting it, as the were not in the slightest degree aware of whs the evidence would be. Mr Wilson had aete entirely on advice from Tiraaru, nnd it wj on the telegrams from the Inspector of Polk there that he (Sergt. Pardy) asked for a r niand. Mr Joynt urged that the charge cou not be looked upon as one of the until Mr Wilson had made oat tl identity of the money. His Worah replied that the Bench had no hesitatit whatever in granting a remand. They cou safelj do so on the telegram alone, in ord that evidence might be brought forward substantiate it, and the prisoner would a cordingly be remanded until Monday, t 12th inst., but to be brought up earlier if t police were prepared. In reply to Mr Joyr his Worship agreed to accept bail for the p soner's appearance on that day, in persor surety of £1000, and two others of £5 each. Obtaining Goods by False Pretences. Thomas Thornton, on remand from Timai was brought up in custody, charged wi having obtained a watch by false pretenc Constable Mullins said : From informati received, I arrested prisoner at the Otirn, a charged him with obtaining a watch belor ing to Martin Warren, from a watohmat in Christchurch, by means of false pretend In reply, he made an admissive sta ment, and hoped that, being his fl offence, he would not get more than or nine months. On searching him I fot the watch produced, which bears the sa number, as the one obtained from Mr H mann's. Martin Warren said: I am labourer, residing at Prebbleton. On the 1 of last month myself and the prisoner w working for Mr Tosswill at the Halswell. had previously pawned my watch with Hermann in Chriatchurch, and had placed pawn ticket for safety in a purse on one the rafters of Mr Tosswill's woolsheil. looking for the purse a short time nfterwai 1 found it had been removed lower down rafters, and on -opening it saw that the tic had been taken out. This was on the Fri< morning, and prisoner left the same eveni 1 could not get away that day, but on following one I came to Christchurch, on going to enquire at Mr Hermann's, fo that the watch had been redeei the same afternoon. The watch produce similar to th& one I left with Mr Hermt but I could not possibly swear to it. I m soil the ticket, or gave anyone authoritj take it from my purse. The watch cost £5 13s 6d, and I value it at £6. Isaac I mann, watchmaker and pawnbroker, 13 streer, Christchurch, proved to last will having pawned the watch produced with on the 24th of February last, and to the soner redeeming it on the 20th of Ma He also said that the prisoner told him had given £1 for the ticket. Frede Bennett, ferryman at the Kakaia, prove( prisoner having offered him the watch duced about a, fortnight, ago, for sale for and to ultimately giving his own watch £1 in exchange for it. He afterwards { the watch to Constable Mullins. Prise had declined to question any of witnesses, and said he had nothing to stat defence. His Worship, after a brief cc deration, said the Bench were inclined to summarily with the case as a question of stolen ticket. They did so, not only bee it wus prisoner's first appearance, but als consideration of the cos i that would be curred in committing him for trial, case was a very simple and clear one, anc Kench did not like to put the country U expense of further prosecution. He w therefore be sentenced to six months' prisonment at hard labour. Laeceny.— Albert Hynian, previously victed for a similar offence, was cha with having stolen a brooch, the proper! Joseph Solomons. Constable Halloran duced to arresting the prisoner, who, in i to the charge, admitted taking the brc but said prosecutor owed him more m than it was worth. Prosecutor, general dealer, in Colombo street, prisoner had been employed by to occasionally take care of bis f hop, an

had let him hare goods to hawk. He could not swear to the brooch produced, but believed it to be his property. A female had come into his shop wearing it, and, in answer to a question, said she had obtained it from the prisoner. He had never authorised the prisoner to take any jewelry from the shop either for himself or to sell. ..Lucy Potter said she purchased the brooch from the prisoner for 2s, and Sergr. Jeffrey proved to prisoner having been previously convicted for larceny. Prisoner made a rambling statement, to the effect that prosecutor had sold him the brooch for Is 6d, and that he had resold it to the witness Potter, as stated. Pro- j secutor, recalled, denied the former, saying he always put all the goods down in a book that he gave prisoner to sell. He was certain he had never neglected to put down any article. His Worship said he bad no doubt but prisoner had committed the theft, and reprimanded him very severely for his continued bad conduct. He had previously been committed to three months' imprisonment for larceny, and had heen since cautioned for trying to communicate with prisoners in the lock-up. He bad evidently got into bad company, and seemed to like it, so that he would be committed to six months' imprisonment, with hard labour.