MAGISTERIAL.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 6018, 29 August 1887, Page 3

MAGISTERIAL.

POLICE COURT.

CHRISTCHURCH,

This Day,

(Before A. Ayers and J. Gajjes, Esqs.)

biiONKBNNEsa.— Isabella Lcckie, an old offender, was sent to gaol for three months. •— William Roberts, for being drunk in Lower High street, was fined 20a. — Margaret M'Guiro wa3 fined sa, or in default, 24 hours.

Juvenile Offenders. — Alexander Lohenet and Joseph Ward, aged respectively 14r} and 13 years, wero charged with stealing fruitto thevalueof .£l, the property of A. Mallock, Colombo street, on August 25. Also, -with breaking a pane of glasa while in the look-xip on Auguat 28. The latter charge was withdrawn, as the damage had been paid for. Lohen6fc had been before tho Court at Ashburton on two occasions previously. The boys admitted the offence. Mr Eerrick, of the Prison Gute Mission, promised to see that Ward was looked after, and he was dismissed with a caution . Lohonefc was ordered to be sent to the Burnham Industrial School, to be brought up in the Roman Catholic religion. Brkaking into and Stealing.— William Mandera, Frank O'Neil, Eichard Chamberlain, and Ada Gilbert were charged with breaking inbo and stealing from the shop of P. Gabites, draper, Victoria street, on the night of August 24, £& in cash, and goods to the value of £11 3s Bd. Mr

Byrne appeared for Chamberlain and Gilbert. Thomas Shore, a salesman for F. Gabites : Left the shop on the evening of August 24. The premises were securely fastened. Found the frontdoor open on going to the shop at nine o'clock on the following morning. Found a piece of candle on the counter, and some candle grease on several pieces of tweed. Missed some lambs' wool and flannel pants, two brown check cotton shirts, four pair merino socks, a silk handkerchief, some ladies' underclothing and other goods. All the goods produced are similar to those kept in stock. The tickets on some of the articles bore the firm's private mark. Missed in cash — £2 in silver, one .£1 note, and one pound in coppers— from the countinghouse. Do not recollect any of the prisoners ever having purchased goods at Gabites' shop. The witness was cross-exa-mined by Mr Byrne. Albert Willis, a youth employed at Gabites' : Clean out the shop every inorniug» go to Mr Gabites' house for the key, and then go to the shop. On the morning of August 25, went to the shop as usual. Found the door closed, but not locked. On going into the shop, found some of the goods disturbed. Locked the door and gave information to Mr Gabites. Detective Maurice O'Connor : On August 27, at 10 a.m., went to the house in St Asaph street in which Chamberlain was living, and found him in bed. Gilbert was also in the house. Found two bottles of scent and a silk handkerchief. Gilbert said, " Those are mine. I was at Klingenstein's Hotel three weeks ago, and a man gave them to me." Then went away, and returned to the house half an hour afterwards. Found Chamberlain at the back door. Took him down the Btreet about fifty yards and left him there with Detective Neill, and returned to the house. Found one of the cotton shirts in a kerosene tin full of water at the back door. The tin was covered over with a basket. Arrested Chamberlain, and charged him with breaking into Gabitea' shop on the Wednesday previous, and stealing therefrom several articles, including the shirt, silk handkerchief, and scent, which had been found at the house in St Asaph street. Chamberlain replied that he had bought the shirt at Black's "last spuddigging time." The silk square and scenj belong to Gilbert. He was wearing a pair of the socks (produced). Chamberlain and Gilbert have been living together for the past four years. Shortly after went to Mander's house, in Colombo street, and found the goods produced (with the exception of those found afc Chamberlain's, and a pair of socks which O'Neill was wearing) in an old sack under the head of Mander's bed. Detective Neill : Arrested the female prisoner on Saturday, and accused her of stealing. She replied that she did not know the goods were stolen, and did not know where she got them from. Arrested O'Neil on the same day at tho White Hart. O'Neil said he had been at the City Hotel on the morning of the robbery, from three till six o'clock, with Mauders and Chamberlain. Was wearing the pair of socks produced. Sarah Slanders, mother of the accused Manders : On Thursday morning, August 25, on getting up at Beven o'clock, saw some of the goods now in Court, on the kitchen floor. Her son said during the day that he had brought the goods home. He was out on the previous night. About 5 o'clock on Thursday morning heard tho back-door open, and something was thrown in. William Frederick Johnson : Am employed as nig|t porter at the City Hotel. Was there from 11 p.m. on Wednesday till 10 a.m. on Thursday. Recollect the three male prisoners coming in somewhere about midnight on Wednesday. They said they were travellers from Kaiapoi. They had some drinks. Chamberlain shouted., and paid with twelve coppers and a sixpence. One of the othera shouted. One of the other prisoners shouted, was not certain which, and the amount was paid all in coppers.