MAGISTERIAL.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 1726, 8 September 1873, Page 2

MAGISTERIAL.

_* I CHRISTCHURCH. , (Before C. C. Bowen, Esq., R.M., and J, , Ollivier, Esq.) 1 Drunk ano Disorderly. — Michael Dolan, arrested hy Constable Johnston, was , fined 10s. — Chas. Roberts, arrested by Constable Wallace, was fined 10s. — Henry Cross, arrested by Constable O'Malley.was fined 10s. Larceny. — Wm. Heywood was brought up on a charge of this nature. Detective Feast : I arrested prisoner at the Shakespeare Hotel about 6 p.m. on Saturday, and told him he was charged with having stolen a pair of earrings, the property of Miss Stephenson, of the Theatre Royal. He said he knew nothing about it. I told him to come with me to Nathan's, the pawnbroker, when he said he confessed to the theft ; that he knew where the rings were ; and, where they ought to be. I took him to the shop, and, in the preseMce of Mr Nathan, he said a man named Shields, living near the White Horse Hotel, gave them to him to pledge. I produced a pair of earrings which I received from Mr Nathan on Saturday j also, a pawn-ticket given to me hy prisoner. I have enquired at the White Horse Hotel, but there is no person of the name of Shields living in the vicinity. J. Emanuel Nathan : I am a licensed pawnbroker in Colombo street. The pawn-ticket, produced, for a pair of earrings was issued by me for the ear-rings produced. They were pawned by prisoner on Thursday last in the name of Charles Thompson ; that was the name he gave. I advanced 6s on them, and gave them up to Detective Feast on Friday. It was on the Saturday evening when Detective Feast brought prisoner to the shop. Prisoner, when he pawned the ear-rings, said they belonged to his wife. The value of the ear-rings is from 25s to 30s. Clara Stephenson : The ear-rings produced are my property. I last saw them in the dressing-room at the Theatre on Monday or Tuesday last. Prisoner repeated his statement that a man named Shields had given him the ear-rings to pawn. He (Shields) was a labouring man, and Feast might easily have found him had he chosen to do so. Mr Nathan said he might inform the Bench, as something in favour of prisoner, that he (Mr Nathan) asked him to sell the ear-rings when he brought them to pawn, but he declined to do so. His Worship said there could be no doubt as to the theft, and he observed prisoner had previously been convicted for a similar offence. Inspector Pender : Yes, your worship, and I would remind the Bench that when prisoner was brought up in the first case he made a similarstatement in defence to what he has done now. His Worship said prisoner would be sentenced to six months' imprisonment with hard labour.