Magisterial.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 836, 31 January 1871, Page 3

Magisterial.

CHRISTCHDRCH. This Day. (Before C. C. Bowen, Esq., R.M.) Dkunk and Fighting. — Patrick Reilly was charged, on the information of Constable Kennedy, with having been drunk and disorderly in a public place. The Constable stated that being sent for to the Borough Hotel, he found prisoner, who had been fighting, in the yard of the hotel, with another man ; he was stripped for the purpose. He resisted on being taken to the lock-up, and it was necessary to procure a cab ; the oilier I man escaped. — M'Kay and C. Kiver gave evidence in support of the charge ; the latter said that the men were bleeding, and that the fight could be seen from the street. He sent for the constable to put an end to it. Prisoner pleaded drunkenness, and that it was his first offence. His Worship said that drunkenness was no excuse, but as it was his first offence, he should only fine him twenty shillings, with expenses of witnesses and cab hire, or in default twenty-four hours' imprisonment. Wilfdl Damage to Pbopektt. — M. Carey was charged with having done a serious amount of damage to the hotel at Burnham,

by smashing windows, &c. bergeant Barlow stated that he was sent for at one o'clock yesterday. He saw the damage prisoner had done. He did not appear to be drunk. Henry Palmers, station-master on the railway, stated that prisoner came to the railway station and took possession of the shed, guardiug the door with a piece of blue gum about 4 or 5 x 2. He said that some one wanted to murder him He would allow no one to go near the place, until a man who knew him persuaded him to come out. In about naif an hour after that he heard a cooey from the hotel ; he saw prisoner running, who threatened him with stones ; he found that he had smashed all the windows of the hotel. He had had no drink at the hotel. He saw him there about nine months ago. He came there drunk by ceach from somewhere else. Charles Dunsford said that he kept the hotel at Burnham. He heard of the man being at the railway station, and saw him guarding the door. A man who knew him got him away, and he went up the line, where he stayed about half-an-hour. After the lapse of that time, he (witness) was standing at his bar door, and saw prisoner coming towards him with stones in his hand. He thought he was going to throw at him, but when he got near him he ran up the road till opposite the parlour window, which he smashed, and ran all round the house smashing all the other windows. The whole thing did not take thirty seconds. The damage amounted to £7. Prisoner said he only threw one stone, and that somebody else threw the rest. Inspector Pender said that he believed that the man was of unsound mind. In answer to the Bench, prisoner said thit he had been drinking of late. His Worship said that prisoner was probably suffering from delirium tremens, and remanded him till Friday next.