SUPREME COURT.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16496, 5 August 1921, Page 8

SUPREME COURT.

CRIMINAL SITTINGS. The criminal sittings of the Supreme j Court were continued yesterday before I his Honor Air Justice Herdmaii. ’ ALLEGED THEFT. Frank Morton was charged with having, on Alay 31 last, stolen an overcoat valued at £lO, belonging to Beath and Co., and, on a second count, with having received it,, knowing, it to be stolen. Ihe accused, who pleaded not guilty, was represented by Mr B. Twyneham. All* AI. J. Gresson, for the Crown, said that the overcoat was in a box, ar.d was being loaded on the van in a right-of-way near Beath and Co.’s Y\ hen -the van reached the Post Office, it was found that the overcoat was missing. The accused offered it at a second-hand dealer’s. Evidence for the prosecution was given by Detective-Sergeants T. Gibson, Quarter main and Le Soeur. and by Samuel Charles Slierard, Sophie AT'Leod, James Foot and Ada Ellwood, who said that the accused left the overcoat with her for £l, but did not return for it. The accused said that he bought the overcoat from a returned soldier in front of the United Service Hotel. The returned soldier said that a pal of his had intended to get married in the overcoat, but had been pinched ” and the soldier wanted to bail him out. Wit ness bought the overcoat from him j for £2. and took it to Airs Ellwood. as ho had only a few shillings left after paving for the overcoat. Further hearing of the ease was adjourned till 10 a.m. next day. When the Court resumed to-day evidence for the defence was given by Ernest Leonard Williams and Ronald Johnston. The jury, after retiring for about an hour, returned a verdict of guilty on the first count. The same accused was charged with having stolen the sum of £l2 from Gertrude Annie Schumacher in Christchurch on Alay 31. He pleaded not guilty. Air M. J. Gresson, for the Crown, said that Miss Schumacher went to a chiropractic establishment for treatment. Sho left a bag containing her purse and the money in the dressing cubicle. When she returned to the cubicle the bag and the money had disappeared. Evidence would be given / that the accused, who was an attendant at the Alental Hospital, also went to the estblishment for treatment, and was there when the money disappeared. Annie Maude Lilly, chiropractic, said that her business was to adjust malformations of the spine by manipulations by the hands. The accused seemed to be longer dressing than was necessary, and she showed him liow he could get out. He could have gone from his dressing cubicle into the one vacated by Miss Schumacher without witness seeing him. Evidence was given for the prosecution by -Mabel Hiilier, attendant at the Mental Hospital, Ada Ellwood, secondhand dealer, Detective-Sergeants A. G. Quarter-main and H. Le Souer, and William Joseph. Thomas, senior clerk at the Alental Hospital. The accused denied that he was in the cubicle in which the bag had been left. Evidence for the defence was given by Edward Conlarx. sub-head attendant at the mental hospital. The jury, after retiring for thirtyfive minutes, returned a verdict of guilty. His Honor said that the prisoner’s record was not a good one. In 1913, he was convicted of theft on three charges in Christchurch.- In 1914, he was sentenced to two years’ imprisonment for indecency, and the po’ice reported that, the offence was of a very gross character. His Honor would take into consideration the fact that, with the exception of the illegal use of a bicycle in this year, he had kept reasonably straight since the previous offence. He would be sentenced to twelve months’ imprisonment. with hard labour, on each charge, the sentences to be concurrent. tc Whr this man should be employed as an attendant at the mental hospital T cannot understand,” his Honor added. Air Gresson said that when Morton ' was at the mental hospital he produced * excellent references from good business I firms in Christchurch. * ALLEGED OFFENCE AGAINST A I GIRL. Samuel Needham, baker, Addington, ! was charged on three counts with ~liav- j ing had intercourse with a girl over the age of twelve years and under the age | of sixteen years. He pleaded not guilty, and was represented by Air O. T_ J. Alpers, with him Air W. F. Tracey. Air Gresson said that the girl was sixteen on Alay 25 last. She left school when she was thirteen. She then went into the accused’s employ, first as a domestic help in the day time* but later, at his suggestion, her mother j and her uncle consented to her staying there at night. (Proceeding.)