CHRISTCHURCH.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5093, 29 August 1884, Page 2

CHRISTCHURCH.

This Day. (Before R. Westenra and P. J. Kimbell, Esqs. Shop-lifting, — John M'Eachan, a Bailor from the b.s. Tongariro, absent without leave, was accused of stealing a pair of hoots, value 11b 6d, from the shop of MrH. Pannett, and a hat, value Is 9d, the property of Mr Deniß O'Connell, draper, Manchester street. Accused had been "on the spree " during the previous day, and while in this state had got into tbe trouble ; he had taken the articles from the doors of the two shops as he passed. Sentenced to seven days' hard labour, tobe sent on board if necessary for the Bervice of his ship before the expiration of bis sentence. Attempted Imposition. — Peter Ryan and William Walsh were charged -with endeavouring to impose on various tradesmen in High street, by means of a valueless cheque, on the previous day. Tbe two men had been in company drinking at Barrett's Hotel, and about other places. The cheque in question was much the worse for wear, torn and very dirty. Ryan had pulled it out of his pocket in Barrett* » Hotel, and remarked to the barman that it was no good. Shortly after, the cheque appears to have got into Walsh's possession, and he went to the shop of Thomas Armstrong, clothier, of High street, and offered it in payment, for a hat. Of course it was refused, as its worthlessness waa evident. Walsh then, offered to sell it for Is. After Walsh had been about with his cheque for a little longer, the two prisoners were arrested by Sergeant Morice. Ryan told the Bergeant various stories as to how he came by the cheque, but it appeared that Walsh had been the one who had endeavoured to make money out of it. Ryan, who protested his innocence very much, was discharged, and Walsh, who had been accused before of serious offences, was sentenced to three monthß* hard labour. Embezzlement. — Thomas Robertson was accused of embezzling, at Dunedin^ &VJ 10a 2d on July 3, and JE6 lis 6d on July 6, the moneys of his employers, Messrs Mason, Struthers and Co. Mr Joyce appeared for accused. Inspector Pender called the following evidence :—^John William Mason, officer in charge of the Christchurch Telegraph station : Produced a telegram sent from Mason, Strutters and Co. to Thomas Robertson, Dunedin, on August 1, and receipt for same, also the reply sent on August 2 from Dunedin. Cross-examined : Did not know that accused wrote the telegram. Robert Struthers, of Mason, Struthers and Co., wholesale saddlers and ironmongers : Prisoner was selling on a commission of 5 per cent for the firm in Otago. He was engaged about the middle of March laßt to travel between Oamaru and Invercargill. Sent him samples of goods for sale. Received a letter on June 13 last, forwarding a list of goods required ; another on June 26, containing an order for goods for " Franklin/ a nickname of a person whose real name waß French. Sent the goods to prisoner — addressed to Franklin — in the same cases that contained the samples for accused. The value of Franklin's goods was .£2O 2s Bd. Received no money from prisoner for these goods, and on August 1 telegraphed to him on the subject. On August 2 received a reply. Never saw prisoner since till he was arrested, and never received any money from him. The receipt produced was in prisoner's handwriting. Produce a copy of invoice which was sent to Franklin by post when the goods were despatched. On comparing this with the receipt, the prices were seen to have been altered. Another receipt put in referred to goods similar to the samples sent to Robertson, which he had no authority to sell. The trade rule was that a traveller might sell a single article or two if he accounted for it at once. Had paid prisoner .£2O commission on June 20, and produced his receipt for this. Cross-examined : Accused had sold goods to the value of .£309 4s 7d. William Broughton, manager of the saddlery department at Messrs Mason, Struthers, and Co., gave corroborative evidence. The goods before the Court — horse collars, bridles, &c. — were all sent to accused as samples, and the cases produced were used to pack them in. The witness knew this because the goods all bore the distinguishing marks of Mason, Struthers and Co.'s samples. Accursed occasionally took drink, aud when drunk was a perfect fool. Two of the cases sent with the goods were not forthcoming. James Wilson, salesman for Mason, Struthers and Co., alsr gave evidence. Ho had recently been t Dunedin and examined the accuse-* sample room ; he found there a letter p»duced in evidence against accufd, also, the packing-cases. Obtained «he burnisher produced iroin French or Fruklin. It was one of Mason, Struthers and'o's. Charles Caspar French, a saddle, of Dunedin, was sometimes known a Mr Franklin. Accused called him bj that name. On July 1, witness had given accused an order. The prices ccused mentioned were something similar t» those written in accused's letter to Mason, Struthers and Co., of Juue 26. Subsequently received the goods froni/H'isoner, and paid him =£17 10s 2J, accusd giving the receipt produced. Gave them voice of the goods to accused, and had not got it. back. The prices on the invoce totalled up to .£2O 2s sd. Accused hal given theprices as .£lB odd, and said Hat witness, liad nothing to do with Mas»n, Struthers. and Co., but should deal vith accused. Afterwards accused had ofored witness some hog skins cheap, because he said he could not sell them to other mauuf actnrers, and sold some of these and other goods, in all value .£6 lis 6d, to witness. On July G, paid the money and. got a receipt. Tho burnisher produced was one of tl£ things, witness bought then. About August 1,. accused came to witness and asl*ed him if' he would mind writing to Mason, Struthers, and Co., telling th^m he had paid .£lO oil; account, and would pay the Valance at th« end of the month. Witnese*'©plied he would, do nothing of the sort, anA asked prisoner what he had done with ti\a money ; he had lost it, but hoped to wia. it back. 3?risoner< said he would send a telegram to explain matters, and asked witness if anyone knew that he had paid" prisoner the money. Witness replied that Brown, a young mau whom prisoner had sent up to Mason and Struthers, knew about it, Prisoner asked witness if he got any telegram from Mason aud Struthers, to let linn (prisoner) know. Prisoner called, in again the same evening, and 'asked if witness had got any telegram. 1 'I'lmt was the last witness saw of him. , Cross-examined ; Prisoner always looked.

more or less " seedy," as if from drinking. On the day he got the telegram particularly 80. Prisoner told witness he was organising a Juvenile Opera Company. This concluded the evidence, and the prisoner, who r< served his defence, was committed to take his trial at the next criminal sessions. [Left sitting.]