RESIDENT MAGISTRATE’S COURT.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume III, Issue 689, 15 July 1882, Page 2

RESIDENT MAGISTRATE’S COURT.

ASH B DRTON. -To-day. ( Before his Worship the Mayor and Mr T. Bullock, J.P.) Drunkenness. A first offender was fined 6s. The Stabbing Case.— Par Petersen was charged on remand with stabbing Joseph Capstick on the head and arm with a pocket-knife, with intent to do him grievous bodily harm.—Mr Purnell appeared for the accused, and said that as he had only Just been instructed, and the charge was a very serious one, ho would ask that the case might be postponed until Monday.—Sergeant Felton said that the accused had had every opportunity of procuring counsel before but had only that morning expressed a desire to consult a solicitor.—Ultimately the Bench decided to grant a further remand until Friday. Alleged Larceny from a Boardinghouse.—Thomas Welsh was charged with the larceny of clothing, etc., to the value of L 3, the property of Thos. Mullaney, from Harper’s boarding-house.—Sergeant Felton asked to withdraw the charge as read, and make it the larceny of a pair of trousers only.—Thos. Mullaney, carpenter, stated that he was a carpenter residing in Ashburton. Had lately been an inmate of the Hospital, where he had been for nearly eight weeks a patient in consequence of meeting with an accident. Believed the prisoner was acting as manager for Mrs Harper. When witness left the boarding-house for the hospital he left all his clothes, including the trousers produced, hanging up in his room. Recognised the trousers by certain chisel-marks on the side of them. Their value was about 9s or 10s. Never authorised the accused or anyone else to sell or otherwise dispose of the clothes. When witness left the hospital ho went to the boarding-house and found nobody in it. Subsequently he met a man named Warren, who was wearing the trousers.— James Warren, who appeared to think the matter an excellent joke, judging from hia ill-concealed merriment, was then put into the box and being asked by Sergt. Felton whether Welsh had sold him the trousers, said that he had not, but that they had been sold to him by Mrs Harper herself, although Welsh was present at the time ■ the bargain was made.—Sergeant Felton i observed that the witness flatly contradicted himself. When interviewed by the police he had distinctly stated that he had bought the trousers from Welsh and not r from Mrs Harper. In consequence of ■ that statement Welsh had been traced to Timaru, and there arrested for the alleged theft. Under the circumstances it would be useless to go on with the case, and he * (SirgeantFelton) would ask leave to with--1 draw it. The accused was then dis--1 charged. The Court th?n roso.