CRIMINAL SESSIONS.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume IV, Issue 845, 18 January 1883, Page 2

CRIMINAL SESSIONS.

Christchurch.

The following cases, of local interest, came up for hearing before Mr Justice Johnston yesterday :

LAHCENY IN A DWELLING. Daniel Neat was in.iicted for stealing L 6 from John Harrison in a house at Hatfield, North Rakaii, on Nov, 13. Prisoner, who was undefended, ..pleaded “ Not Guilty.”—John Harrison farmer at Hatfield, said that he knew prisoner, who came to his place on Nov. 10 last. He engaged him at LI a week. On the following Sunday on going to bed he hung his trousers up, in the pocket of which were six one pound nptes. Prisoner slept in the adjoining room. The trousers were hung on a nail over witness’s led, where they remained for a day or two. He afterwards put the trousers in a box, but did not miss the money till he went to pay prisoner. Some of the notes were “ sound New Zealand Bank ” notes On Nov. 1 ho told prisoner he would pay him, as he was not wanted any longer. Took the trousers out to got a note, arid there was none there. He asked prisoner to change a L 5 note, but he said that he could not as he had no money. Then got a horse and went with prisoner to Rakaia. Gave prisoner in charge to Constable Rouse, who searched him and found no money on him. Gave him a LI note and left him. On the Wednesday previous saw prisoner sewing up the lining in the breast of his coat. —To His Honor : Between Nov. 10 and Nov. 17 John Kelly and George Gordon were at the house onco each. I should have seen them take the money if they had done so. When Kelly was there the money was in the box. Prisoner told me some one called on Sunday when I was out. When he was sewing his coat he was sitting in the same room with me. He had one coat on and the other off—Cross-examined by prisoner : I could not swear that you took the money from my trousers pocket. I could not swear that I did not drop the money and you picked it up. I did not see it picked up.—Constable William Rouse, stationed at Rakaia: Remembered the last witness complaining that he had been robbed by prisoner. Asked prisoner if he had any money. Prisoner said “ No.” Searched him and found nothing,,

him. Let him gol SavrhfmtW next day at the Railway Hotel. He was rather the worse for liquor, and witness-searched

him and found in his outside vest pocket five LI notes and eleven shillings. . They were not sewn. Charged him with steal* ing the money from John Harrison. On the way to the lock-up prisoner said he had earned the money ; but did not say from whom. The next morning‘he said that he had found the money in the lining of the sleeve of his coat, but could not .tell how it got there. The notes (produced) were not new, but in good order. Pour were oh the Bank of New Zealand and one on the National Bank of New Zealand. He said he had changed a note at each of the two hotels, which made L 7 —six which Harrison had lost, and one which prosEcutor had given him.— Sergeant Henry William Felton, stationed at Ashburton : Remembered .on November 20 seeing prisoner at the Courthouse, Ashburton, in charge of the,, last ■witness, who stated that' prisoner said- he had found the money. Prisoner Yes, Sergeant, I wjUjahow you where it was. ” Prisoner pulled off his coat, and showed where he had found the money, saying ‘ ‘ I found it there, and.cpn’t tell who put it there. ’’-^-Prisofner l halving nothing to say in his defence His'Honor summed up, and the jury, ‘ without retiring, found'a verdict 6t ci Guilty.”—lnspector Pender reported that prisoner had in 1868 been sentenced to nine months’ imprisonment for larceny, and that in 1864 he had escaped from gaol.—r-His Honor sentenced the prisoner to ’ two years’ imprisonment wrh hard labor. INDECENT ASSAULT. George Fuller, who was indicted |or an indecent assault, pleaded “ Not Guilty.”— Prisoner' said he had been a number of years in the colony, and through beihg a cripple had been 1 unable to '-earn any ’money ; would his Honor ask some, kind friend—a lawyer—to defend him,—His Honor asked Mr Stringer, who was seated at tlie table, if he' would undertakeL-th* defence.—Mr Stringer asked to be allowed to look at the depositions taken "irr the Court below, and after seeing them de* clined to undertake the task.—His .Honor said he would watch the case for the prisoner.—Mr Duncan led'the; evidence for the prosecution, which is unfit for publication.—After hearing the principal witness, whose account differed materially from that given by her in the- lower Court, Mr Duncan withdrew the. prosecu- * , tion.—His Honor animadverted upoiv the carelessness of parents in allowing their k children .to go out Unprotected, andkhe prisoner was ordered to stand down.

BDEGLABY. At the Supremo Court Henry Garrett, for burglary, was sentenced to 'seven years’ penal servitude. [by TELEGKAPH.] T Auckland. Auckland, To-d|y. At the Supreme Court true bills' were returned against Mrs Hamilton and Priestly, for murder ; Peter NeiUotL-lfop stealing from a dwelling; James Kay, for burglary. W. Webb, fbr stealing from a dwelling, was found “Not guilty ” and discharged. Henry Mason'got two years’ imprisonment for burglary.. j Wellington. J a f L Wellington, Tp-day. ’At the Supreme Court-to-day, Sarah Parnell was sentenced to two months’ imprisonment on a charge of wounding. The sittings were adjourned till Tuesday, when the charge against for horse-stealing will be heard. . Dunedin. Dunedin, To-cUy. At the Supreme Court William *Fbreshaw, who yesterday pleaded guilty to two indictments for stealing sewing machines, was sentenced to six months’ imprisonment on each charge, the sedteidees to be concurrent. It was stated that"the prisoner was the tool of i a . gang of men who by misrepresentations got possession of machines let out on hire, and.iagainst whom proceedings would be taken.‘f,„