SUPREME COURT.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5270, 29 May 1895, Page 3

SUPREME COURT.

CRIMINAI, SITTINGS. Tueßdat, Mat 28. (Before his Honor Mr Justice Denniston.) ABBAUIIT and robbery. George Laing pleaded not guilty to a charge of ha. ing, on March 17, at Christchurch, assaulted Francis Coates and robbed him of a purse containing twelve £1 notes, 20a in Bilver, and a pocketknife, Mr Donnelly appeared for the aocused. Mr Stringer said that the prosecutor, a farmer living at Babbit Island, came to Christchurch on Saturday, March 16, wont to New Brighton, returned to Christohurch in .he evening, had a few drinks, went about the town and made a few purchases. He was, he said, quite sober, and about eleven o'clock two men oame behind him, knocked him down, kicked him and robbed him, in Colombo Street, near the bridge. He made a complaint to the police almost immediately afterwards, and went with Sergeant Wilson to Bligh'a boarding-house, where he identified the accused as one of the two men. The police evidence would show that the accused and another man had been in the neighbourhood of Colombo Street Bridge that night, and that, when near Bligh'a boardinghouse, they made off when a constable approached. Several witnesses gave evidence for the prosecution. Mr Donnelly did not call any evidence, .but addressed the jury, submitting that the identification of tho accused had not been proved. Mr Stringer said that he would admit that the evidence of the prosecutor as to the identification was somewhat uneatisfactory. x His Honor said that he could hardly ask the jury to convict on the evidence of identification. The jury returned a verdict of not guilty. ' At 4.30 p.m. the court adjourned to 10 a.m. next day. ' . Wjbdnbsdat, Mat 29. (Before his Honor Mr Justice Denniston.) The criminal eittings were 1 resumed at 10 a.m. Mr Stringer appeared to represent the Crown. . ASSAULT AND ROBBERY. i Hetty M'Gregor, James Miller and ' Robert Johnston pleaded not guilty to a charge of having, on May 3, at Chrißtchurch, assaulted John Davis and robbed him ef a puree, a £1 note and a Waterbury watch. Mr Donnelly appeared for the accused. Mr Stringer stated that the prosecutor, a labouring man, had oome to town from the country, and on the evening of May 2 j met the male accused at a fish cart. He had previously slightly known Johnston, j who asked him if his wanted lodgings. He j replied "Yob," and Johnston suggested ' that they should go to a honse kept by a young girl, and asked if his mate, Miller, , ' might go there too. Tbey went to the house of the woman Maogregor, who suggested that they Bhould have some beer, and, after whispering with the male ' accused, asked Davis to accompany her for j protection while she fetched it. He did so, and while they were passing a vacant section in St Asaph Street the two male ' accused came behind him, garroted him and ' knocked him on the head. He was ! rendered insensible and Beriou.ly injured, ; and the acoused rifled his pookets. When he came to he called for help,, the police came, and next day .he went to the 1 woman's house, where they found in | ' her box a hat which Davis recognised as , belonging to Johnston, who lived with her. ; There was evidence to show that Davis < had been seen in company with the male j acoused on the night of the robbery. When | the accused were in the lock-up the two men were in opposite cells. A detective ] secreted himself in an adjoining cell, and , heard a conversation between them, . ' which, if his evidence were to be I believed, left no doubt of their guilt. | ' Some remarks had been made on this ' . procedure by the learned counsel for the ! ' defence, whose indignation seemed to have ' been excited thereby, but it was quite justifiable to lay a trap for such persons. ! If they were innocent their talk would not ' [ condemn them, and if they were (guilty ■ j Buoh people were the wild beasts of ' Booiety, and it was quite justifiable i ' to make use of such means against them, i ' The evidence sb to the woman waß not ' ( quite bo e.rong, and there were no such . admissions as had been made by the two j men, but if the jury concluded that they ] were guilty there could be little doubt that , : she was equally guilty. j Nine witnesses gave evidence for the ; 3 Crown. j ' Mr Donnelly did not call evidence, bnt , ] addressed the jury. His Honor summed up, and the jury, after a retirement of a quarter of an hour, : found all the prisoners "Guilty." I Mr Donnelly said that Miller had not \ been previously convicted, and that he had 1 been working in the country. He (Mr • Donnelly) therefore asked his Honor to treat bis offence as a first lapse into crime, j Mr Stringer said that Miller had not i been previously convicted, but he was in ' the habit of associating with bad charao- j tors. There was a long series of 'convictions against Johnston for drunkenness, ! . vagrancy, assault and larceny since 1883. j His Honor remarked that assaults of this * nature were far too frequent, and that it j ' was, from their very nature, difficult to ! obtain convictions for them. He sentenced i Johnstone to eighteen months' imprison- i : ment, Miller to twelve months, and the woman to six months. The Court rose at 1.40 p.m. y " • • - —^ — — — [Per Press Association.] WELLINGTON, Mat 28. The criminal calendar contains eighteen caseß against twenty prisoners. Charges of murder and attempted murder appear on the list.