POLICE COURT.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 6315, 13 August 1888, Page 3

POLICE COURT.

CHRISTCHURCH. _?HIB .DAY ■JBefore F. E. Wright and R. H. Wood, Esqs.) Vagrancy.— Rhoderick M'Kenzie, alias Thon ia a Fraser, was oharged with being the ocenpier of a house in Salisbury itreet frequented by persons who have no "visible means of support. Accused admitted being the occupier of the house referred to, but denied that the house was of the character charged. WiUiam Lawry, alias Leroy, and Margaret Maloney, alias Griffiths, were accused of vagranoy, and the charge against them was taken along with the one against M'Kenzie. Deteotive Neil gave evidence to the effect that the two men lived upon the prostitution of the -women they lived with, and were, altogether, a worthless lot. The woman waa ft well-known pros— tute, and they all lived at the house in Salisbury steeet, whioh waa a brothel, and was kept in a most disorderly way. Neither of the men did any work. Detective O'Connor corroborated Detective Neil'e evidence, saying the men were thieves, M'Kenzie at least an assooiate of thieves. Sergeant Briggs said they were all a very bad lot, but M'Kenzie had only been convicted of drunkenness— never, to his knowledge, of theft; but he did no work, and lived on the earnings of prostitutes. Lawry denied all the chargea against him, and asserted that he had not been in the handß of the police for two yeara, when he had been looked up for vagranoy. Since then he had worked for eighteen months at Mount Parnassus, and the cheque he had earned had carried him through the winter. M'Kenzie was sentenced to three months' imprisonment with hard labour, and Leroy and the woman to six montha'. Th bj pi.— Thomas Richens and Margaret Buckingham were accused of having stolen two glasses, value ls 2d, on AugUßt 8, the property of Wilhelm Schmidt, landlord of the New Zealander Hotel. Accused denied the charge, the female asserting that the glasses had been given to her by a woman. After hearing evidence, the prisoners were discharged.