MAGISTERIAL.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 2151, 18 June 1889, Page 3

MAGISTERIAL.

A.SHBURTOBT— TJJBSDAY. {Before Menrs R Alcom and D, WillUmson J.P.s) LABOSKY. John Hampton was obarged with the larceny of £18 131. R. W, Jenkln", manager of the Bank of New Sooth Waler, Aehburton, gave evldeneei, and prodaoeri a ohcqae for £11 18 1 whloh bad been cssbed at the bank by Mr Neal for -W. Spenoer and 00. George Nest* draper assistant for Sptraoer and 00. depoied that a man named Honter was In the shop on Bth lnat at about 1 o'olook with Haippton, Hunter wu drnnk bat Hampton was sobar. Hunter booght goods to the value of £3 ISi. Hampton had a cheque for £23 9j whloh be said belonged to Hanter and he was taking oare of It for him. WUnsss aifced Hampton if he would cake • ebeqne aa part of the change and he agreed, If £7 was given In ca^b, m Hantar owed hit father £7, and his father had Mked him to get It from|Honter. The cheque produced for £11 13s was given, also £6 In notes and a sovereign. The conversation was at the desk, and Hanter did not hear Ir. The two talked for some time and then went towards tha Somerset, Hampton having told Hunter he had the change and would t«ke*esre of it for him. The chrque for £11 13s was brought to the shop on Monday, lOit lnst, by Mr Pattman. Hanter bad previously stated to htm that he had lost the cheque, and asked payment to be stopped. Payment was stopped, and when Mr Pattman brought the oheque to the shop he got cash for it, A The Bstioh questioned the witness and considered It was not at all correot for the oheque to have been oasbed to Mr Pattman after owner had reported It lest and Its payment bad been stopped. John Hooter remembered Bth Jane, he had • oheque for £22, and on that day he got drank aVd did not remember what beesme of It. Knew John H» nipt on, and was with him that Saturday. Did not know Hampton's father or owe him any money. He did not remember seeing the ebeque for £11 13s before and only had a ■light Idea of being In Spenoer's shop buying goods. . Hampton and he bad been acquainted for seven years. Tta wltn«tt' condition «v tvuta ia« matkssl upon by the Benob. He wm apparently not In a fit state to give evldenoe and was ordered to be imprisoned for 24 hours for contempt of Oonrt. The ease would be adjourned for the taking of his evidence t7. Pattman, proprietor of the Somerset Hotel, deposed 4hst on Saturday, Btb Jane. Hampton and Hanter came to the Hotel between 12 and 1 o'olook. They were both quite sober, and had drinks. Hanter tendered a cheque for £22 odd In payment. He refuted to cash the eh? qae •ad Hanter then gave him one for £1, whloh be got obange for. Between 3 and 4 o'clock the saw Hampton and oasbed a ehrqoe for him frr £11 13s. taking oat the prlee fov two drinks. Hampton wm moos) and sober at the time. Be took the two drinks away and got the obaoge at thedoov of the commercial room. A. J. Kelly, ■toted that prforoev bad been staylog at the Central Hotel itnoe Bth May. Op B<h Jane the prisoner had lome silver, and at that time he owed some £3 for board. On the afternoon of Bth Jane prisoner psld £2 to him for board and he had some more money with him then, be stated that he got the money from his father. Peter Stewart, was m the'Somercet Hotel, on Bth Jane about 6 p.m, and saw both Hanter end the pr'soner there, Honter wu not drunk, and Hampton wai sober enough. Prfsooer bad several cotes m a> roll In bis hand, and offered to bet Hanter £5 that he (Hunter) hal more than £20 on hi*, at th«t time and asked witness to hold the stake, Hanter iefa«ed to bet him, John Valpy deposed that prisoner gave him £1 at the Central Hotel about 4 p.m. He gave no reteon for handing him the money, and did not owe It to him. Agnes Huston, konsemald at the Central Hotel, remembered geelng the prisoner at the hotel on Jane Bth about ,D*lf past five. He gave witness a potmd and stated bis father had given him it that day. He had other money on him, and *as tipsy. Bbc gave it back to Mm next morning, having told h'm she would not give it him back till be was sober. Constable Smart gave evidence of the arrest of prisoner, who stated he had no money from Hunter on Saturday, and that he did not tee Hooter after balf-past twelve on that day. Hampton made a statement when charged with stealing money from Hanter, that he had not seen Hanter slnoe balf-past twelve at the Somerset. He met "him next morning (Tuesday), and Hunter asked him for the loan of ss. The Benoh considered a prima facie ease was made ont and committed the prisoner for trial at the next sitting of tbeSnpreme Ooartln Chrlstobaroh. The Ooart then roie.