POLICE COURT NEWS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 11482, 2 September 1915, Page 5

POLICE COURT NEWS.

♦ TO DAY'S CASES. (Before Mr H. W. Bishop, S.M.) DRUNKENNESS. Two male first offenders for drunkenness were each fined ss, in default twenty-four hours' imprisonment. David M'Donald. a third offender, was fined 20s, in default fourteen days imprisonment. BICYCLE THEFT. William Arthur, twenty-eight years of age, pleaded guilty to a charge thai, on September 1, at Christchurch, he did steal a bicycle, valued at £3, the prpperty of Alexander Glensor. Chief-Detective Herbert said that the complainant left his bicycle outside a hotel in Cashel Street yesterday afternoon at fouf o'clock, and when he came out it was gone. _ Accused subsequently sold the machine for 17s 6d, giving an assumed name at the time. He was a married man in poor circumstances, and when arrested gave as his excuse that he was hard up .and needed the money. The Magistrate warned the accused that if he came up again he would be dealt with as an ordinary criminal, but as it was his first offence, and he had a wife and family to support, hj? would fine hini 40s, in default one month's imprisonment. ALLEGED THEFT. Joseph Henry James, thirty-four years of age, pleaded not guilt-.v to a charge that on August 31. at Christchurch, he did steal a lady's gold ring, valued at £ls los, tho property of Florence Crawley. ( Chief-Detective Herbert said that the ring was part of a quantity of property stolen from the Ai HAtel. The rest of the property had not been traced, and he desired a remand until Friday, September 10, so that a further search for it could he made. The remand was granted. Bail was refused. ALLEGED ASSAULT AND ROBBERY. Edward Cotton, twenty-seven years of age (Mr Cassidy) and John Pearson, forty-three years of age, appeared on a charge that on August 31. at Linwood, they did assault Terence Hart and rob him of £lO 9s in money. Chief-Detective Herbert said that Hart was a young man from the country, and according to his story, he had travelled in a cab with the accused and they had assauHed and robbed him of the money. He asked for a remand until Wednesday. The remand was granted and bail was allowed, self in £SO and one surety of £SO each. ALLEGED THEFT FROM'' DWELLING. Patrick Gunn, alias Williams, alias Hill, a labourer, twenty years of age, was charged that, at Christchurch, between May 5 and May 15, he did steal from a dwelling-house a quantity of books, fancy goods, patent medicines and clothing, of., a total value of £BO, the property of Joseph Schleeman. and) alsc that, being a prisoner sentenced to one month's hard labour, he did escape from custody. Chief-Detective Herbert asked tor o remand until next Wednesday. Tlie remand was granted. AN UNDESIRABLE. Norman Manson, a well-dressed man thirty years of age, pleaded not guilty to a charge that he was deemed to be a rogue and a vagabond within the meaning of the Police Offences Act, 1908. in that he had insufficient lawful means of support, having been convicted as an idle and disorderly person on December 9, 1914. D tec lives Ward and, Gibson gave evidence to the effect that they knew the accused, who frequented hotels and shepherded drunken men. He had no means of support, and whenever he came to Christchuroh he had to be j either chased out or locked up. He had ! come down from Wellington a month ago and h:nl done no work immediately prior to coming down. The accused said that he had been working on the Wellington wharf before coining to Christchurch. and intended going to Culverden to somo work when he was arrested. The Magistrate sentenced Manson to six months' hard labour.