POLICE COURT.

Wellington Independent, Volume XXVII, Issue 3382, 30 December 1871, Page 2

POLICE COURT.

VfIIDAY, DECKJIBEB 29, 1871. (Before J. 0. Crawford Esq., 8.M".) STEALING FROM A DWELLING. Araos Sutton was brought up on remand, charged with stealing £3 from the dwellinghouse of Thomas Laohlan Campbell. Prosecutor deposed that he was a collannan at the Wellington Brewery. On the 260h of the present month, about two o'clock in tho afternoon, he left his money locked Tip in bis house, and did not return till about six in fcho evening. On entering by the front of the house he immediately discovered that somebody had entered it in his absence, and taken away money to the amount of about £3 10a. Ho knew the money had been taken away, because ho had oounted it before going out. He spoke to the prisoner about the loss, and ho said he had seen somebody lurking about tho house whoa ho called in tho afternoon with the milk. Thomas Blakely, brewer, deposed that he knew the prisoner. On the 26th of the month ho called at the house of the prosecutor, and knocked at the door. He waited a little time b.efore he heard any movement inside ; then ho hoard a footstep, as of somebody walking lightly on the toe of the foot: He wailed a minute or two, when the prisoner came round from the back of the house. Witness asked him if there was anybody inside, and he answered, " No," and passed out at the gate. He had a milk can in ins hand, and witness, thinking he was tho person who had been inside, made no further inquiry for Mr Campbell, and wont away. Mrs Queen stated that oq the 26th, Bho saw tho prisoner go into Mrs Campbell's premises, where he remained about ten minutes, though she could not say that he entored the house. He went into the back yard, but did not return to the front of tho house during the time she had mentioned. Mary Reardon, who employed the prisoner to dispose of milk, stated that the prisoner returned to her house about two o'olook on tho Sunday morning, and stated that he had spent all his money with the exemption of 5s

and somo odd pence. He ]}ad bftem in the &; habit of .receiving as wagea £1 a month, all V hja expenses being paid tot him* v Robert Somerville deposed that he knew the prisoner by sight and saw him on the evening of the 26th at his hotel; He asked for a bed, and he was told that he could have one ; he was also supplied with bread and cheese, • and in payment tendered half a sovereign. * J He had a purse in his hand from whioh ho | took another half sovereign t»nd asked to have $ it changed, as be" said he had once given away 'M half a sovereign in payment for. a pint of beer. ,m In putting the change into his purse witneaffesyirf observed that he had. a good deal of s'^Jßyf^t and asked whether it was all milk money^/ae answered "No, I am no thief ; the money-ie my own." He had about £2 in silver in his purse. f Mr Allan said the charge could not be gone on with, as the act distinctly said that no person could be charged with stealing from a dwell* ing unless the property stolen amounted to £5. He objected to the man being committed for an offence for which he could not be indicted. ' His Worship remanded the prisoner till next day to consider the law of the case. STABBING. Ah Fook was brought up on remand charged with this offence. John Ah Tong was examined and stated : On the 20th instant I went with Ah Gee to the prisoner's house between eight and nine o'clock in the evening. Prisoner asked us to go inside the bedroom and sit down. The prisoner stayed in the next room, and when the door was open I could see from one room into the other. I heard Ah Qtee say to Ah Hok that a letter had (come for him' from Napier. Ah Gee was accustomed to open Ah Hook's letters. He said he had got a letter that day by some lady passenger. Ah Gee said that he had read the letter and could not understand it. Prisoner said it was a sham letter because there was no stamp on it. Ah Gee said it was a trde letter because he saw the man's seal on it} to whioh the prisoner replied that anybody could carve a seal. After a little while the prisoner went into the bedroom and got two old letters out of a obest, and asked me into another room to look at a letter which ho had received from my cousin. Ah Gee and the prisoner commenced growling afe one another, when Ah Gee walked away into the kitchen where Ah Fook was sitting. Ah Gee thea struck the prisoner in the face, and a fight immediately took place, when Ah Gtee cried out, "Oh, you are biting me." Ah Toi then separated them, and I saw a knife in the hands of the prisoner. The knife was a butcher's knife with a blade nine or ten inches long. When I J first saw the knife there was blood upon it. , Ah Gee then unbottoned his coat, and the blood flowed down his trousers. He then t fell back against the box. I took the knife from All Fook, when he said " I think he is going to die. I think I have killed him. I 'j felt the knife going in very deep." Ah Gee was then put to bed, and I took'off his coat and waistcoat, when the blood ran down his left breast. Thejtnife was handed over to the police. • The prisoner was then remanded for eight days, the prosecutor not being sufficiently recovered to appear in Court. ' The Court then adjourned.