Charge Against a Runholder.

Wairarapa Standard, Volume XVIII, Issue 1692, 10 June 1885, Page 3

Charge Against a Runholder.

Mr James Maben, innholder, Benmore, was charged at the Invercargill Police Court on Monday, with attempting to set lire to a stack belonging to a deferred payment settler named O’Donnell, whose homestead is about four miles from Benmore. The prosecutor’s statement was very circumstantial. He said that about three in the morning of the 21st May, be and his wife were aroused by the barking of dogs, and on looking out of the window they saw the glimmer of a match near the stacks. Without dressing, he ran out and got within four paces of a man whom he was positive was accused, and who made a run to a horse which was hitched to the fence. He then mounted and rode away. Prosecutor cried, “ You may as well stand, Maben ; I know you. He then went back to bis house, loosened his dogs, and set them after the horseman. He rode into a steep gully, where the dogs bailed him up, aud O’Donnell went up to within two paces of the man, and satisfied himself it was Maben. He told him he would make him suffer for it. The horseman replied “ all rig lit,” aud rode away. For the defence, Maben's housekeeper deposed to his being at home in the evening, aud she did not believe be went out of the house that night. A neighboring settler deposed that O’Donnell bore a bad character among the settlers. He would not believe bis statement on oath. At this stage counsel for accused applied for an adjournment to procure further evidence against O'Donnell’s credibility, and the bearing wag adjourned til! the 16th instant.