POLICE COURT.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 6572, 14 June 1889, Page 3

POLICE COURT.

CHEISTCHUECH. This Day. (Before E. Westenra, James Forrester, and C. T. Dudley, Esqa.) Drunkenness.?— John Clifford, charged, on remand, with drunkenness on June 7, was fined ss, and ordered to pay 19a 6d, medical expenses, or seven days' imprisonment in default.— John Black was lined 5s for drunkenness in Colombo . street, or twenty-four hours' imprisonment in default. Labceny. — Arthur M'Mahon was charged with the larceny of four one-pound notes, from Edward Spencer, on June 8, at Cashel street, Christchurch. Edward Spencer, farmer of Papanui, was in Wallace's, at 2 p.m., on Saturday last, paying an account. Had eight one-pound notes in his pocket. Felt in his pocket for notes to pay a man named Samuels, and found he had lost the notes. There were a good many people standing about in the passages. Did not notice accused there. John Larsen, dealer of St Martin's, was in Wallace's between 1 and 3 p.m. on Saturday. Saw accused pick some money, a roll of notes, off the floor. They appeared to be Bank of New Zealand notes, and were lying on the floor in the public bar. Witness went and found Wallace, and told him about it. Wallace put on his hat and followed accused. To accused : " You were standing about three yards away when you picked up the notes. I walked up to you, and you put the notes in your pocket." James Wallace, licensee of the hotel, said when he was told of the affair he followed accused out. Accused went as fast as he poEsibly could down the street into Tattereall's. Could not catch him, and reported the matter to the police. Maurice O'Connor, detective, said he met accused at 3.45 p.m. on Monday, coming up from the railway ; he was drunk. Asked him if he had picked up any uioney on the Saturday. He said no; that he would like to have the chance. To acoußed: You had one shilling and a penny on you when I arrested you. Edward Spencer, recalled,' said he had the notes rolled up -in— «itK«a— .^nakaL. Accused said he stooped down to pick up an envelope bearing the address of a man at Wellington. He never had the notes. The Bench remarked that accused was only just out on probation for three cases of larceny. That appeared to have done him no good. He would be sentenced to two months' hard labour. Larceny. — Thomas William White was charged with the larceny of two ducks, value 2s, the property of Robert Henry Gainsford, of Victoria street. Inspector Pender said the ducks were exposed for sale just inside the door of the shop. Accused snapped them up off the nail, and took them away, apparently with the object of selling them at his own shop. The theft was denied when Detective O'Connor went down about it. Sentenced to fourteen days' hard labour. Petty Laeceny.— George and Albert Hunt, two boys about seven and six years old, were charged with the larceny of four sacks, value 2s, from J. Cuddy, on June 12, at Opawa. The case was proved, and the accused cautioned and discharged, the mother being instructed to punish them privately. Cask Dismissed. — Benjamin Baynes was charged with using insulting language to Kate Annie Watson, on Thursday, April 18, at Manchester street Prosecntrix said defendant came to Ore's Bhop, in Manchester street, on the day mentioned about some kerosene, and a mistake in his account, and used certain bad expressions. Defendant's man (button) came after the language was used. Witness, Mrs Orr, and defendant, were the only three present at the time. The language she alleged was used at the counter, where anyone passing in the street could hear. Defendant afterwards told Mrs _ Orr that the did not mind a bit the case going on. Mr M'Oonnel, at this stage, said that no offence had been disclosed. Section 2 of the Act proved that the words must be within the hearing of persons in a public place. As there was no one there but those in the shop, the language was not within the hearing of anyone. The Bench dismissed the case on that point. Mr M'Connel would pat his client in the box to swear that Orr had been to him to ask him not to take any. proceedings against the girl for using the language which she accused defendant of having made use of. He could also call corroborative evidence. The Bench would not trouble him to do so, and dismissed the case. Alleged Assault. — Charles Richardson was charged with assaulting R. Cogan. The affair was a very trivial one, and the Bench held that it was not proved and dismissed the charge. Rescuing. — Thomas Martin was charged with rescuing a heifer, seized for the purposes of impounding by Joseph Broom, at Keene street, Sydenham, on June 5. Mr Beattie for informant. The case was proved, and a fine of 10s, with solicitor's fee was imposed. Alleged Assault and Robb&ry.— David Nolan was oharged with assaulting Xhomas O'Maera on the night of Jane 10,

and robbing him of a silver watch value £2, a chain and pendant value 15s, and a ring value 20s, at Manchester street, Christohuroh, on the same night. Thomas O'Maera said he was a cook staying at Barrett's Hotel. On the night of June 10, about eleven o'clock, he was in the bar of the hotel. Accused was there, and made some rude remark to witness that he could not recollect. Witness replied that accused had been forbidden the house by the landlord. Accused took a glass of beer from the counter and threw it in witness' face. Witness hit accused over the head with a stick. There was a scuffle, and witness waa put out on the footpath. Two of them then jostled witness about, and witness resisted. Tho other man took witness' hat, and witness retaliated by hitting him on the shoulder with his Btick, and the two then got him down on the footpath. When he got up both men were gone, and witness missed his hat, which he had not yet recovered. Found that his vest waa open, and missed a silver watch and a gold watchchain, and a ring from his finger. (All produced.) The watch was worth £2, the chain and pendant was worth 15s, and the ring£l. Witness reported the matter at the police office, and while he was there Detective O'Connor brought accused into the station. He could not say if accused took the things, but he had hold of witness while he was down. First saw the articles again about half-past eight next morning, near Black's . corner, in High street. A small boy came up to him, and handed him a paper parcel done up with a piece of twine. It contained the missing articles. The boy ran away down Manchester street. Maurice O'Connor, detective, of Christchurch : About 1 a.m. on June 11, witness met the accused in Cathedral square, and arrested him on the present charge. He said he did not know anything about it. Took him to the station,' where O'Maera said, "That's the man who assaulted and robbed me." Nolan denied it, and prosecutor said he had struck accused over the head and shoulders with the stick (produced in Court) and broke it. Accused said, "You did not break the stick on my head, but I know on whose head you did break it." Accused said he waa having a glass of beer, and O'Maera drank part of it, and accused slung the remainder of it in his face. When they came out of the hotel there was a bit of a row, but he (accused) went over to the other aide of the street and would not go near them. To accused: Mick Smith, and Mick Smith, jun., and another man now in Court, were there when the affair happened. O'Maera.when they were going to the station, Baid that a man named Murphy was with them when he was aßsulted and robbed. Witness had since confronted Murphy with O'Maera, who said he wbb not the man. This waa the case for the prosecution. Accused was cautioned in the usual way, and called evidence for defence. John Martin, a cabdriver, of George street, was in Barrett's Hotel abont half -past ten on the night in question. Someone shouted for them. O'Maera claimed certain beer, which, accused said was his. Accused threw the beer in O'Maera's face, who said, "I'll get even with you for this, and get you two years, bo help me •" Then eleven o'clock struck, and they all went out. That was about a quarter of an hour after havin the beer. Then a blaok-wbiskered man cam up and called O'Maera a public-house loafer, and said that he was only there to try and get beer out of people. These two closed, and they fell. Accused was at that time standing on the edge of the footpath, twenty or thirty feet away. About twenty others were present. To Mr Pender: Witness waß a cab-driver in Wellington, and did not apply for a license before leaving there. He was fined therefor obstructing the police. Edward Harman, labourer. Waa standing at Black's corner when the crowd came out of Barrett's. He went over to see what the row was about. Saw several drunken fellows knocking each other about. Saw O'Maera and another man fall on the ground. There was another old fellow on the ground, and prosecutor was hitting at him with his Btick. Accused was on the road, away from them. From that time till accused was arrested witness never leffc Nolan's company. Accused proceeded to call another witness named Murphy, when the Bench stated that they could not commit on the evidence, and accused would be discharged.