AKAROA RESIDENT MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume V, Issue 488, 18 March 1881, Page 2

AKAROA RESIDENT MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

Tuesday. Mar. 15,1881. Before Justin Aylmer, Esq., RM. FURIOUS BIDING. John Trueman, Le B'.n's Bay, was charged witb riding furiously in Lavaud street on February 15. After hearing the evidence, the Bench fined him 60s aud costs of witnesses. LAROENY, Thomas Murray, on remand, was charged witb the !aiveny of a £10-note at Bruce's Hotel on March 11. Prisoner pleaded not guilty, but admitted that be had picked up the note on the floor of the bar at Bruce's Ilotei. H. Edmondsoii stated that he ai.d the prisoner bad been enjoying themselves (after grass-seeding) at Bru c's Hotel, lie sho'ited two or three drinks for prisoner,as he was thirsty with singing. He changed a £l-note in the prisoner's presence, and rolled up the other two £l-notes along with the £10-note, and put them in his trousers' pocket. . He afterwards went to Wagstaff's Hotel, but did not change any notes there, as he was refused v drink. He afterwards went home, and on bis wife asking him if he had any mone) he said he had a £10-note and two iil-uotes. His wife told him the " tenner" was gone. He then told her he had been in tbe company of a stranger, and she had better go after him. Mrs E Imondson, the wife of the last winess, remembered her husband coming home on Friday night last, and on asking him if he had any money, be gave h?r two £l-notes, but no £10-note. She made enquiries at Bruce's Hotel, but could get no trace of it. Afterwards went to the Criterion Hotel, and there saw prisoner and W. Maltby, and on asking Maltby if he had her husband's £10, the prisoner said (without being asked) that he had not got it. He was a honest man, and bad plenty of money of his own. Afterwards informed the police, and had prisoner arrested on the charge of stealing tbe note After the arrest, and while he was being searched, prisoner said Edmondson dropped the note on the floor of the bar, and he had picked it up, and if she would come outside he would give it to her. She went outside and saw tho barman of the hotel take the note out of a hole in the fence pointed out by the prisoner.

Duncan Gregor, barman at the Criterion Hotel, deposed to the prisoner's coming to the hotel on the evening of Friday last, and offering a £10-note in payment of a glass of beer. There was not change enoug 1 for the note, and it was returned to him. After Mrs Edmoudson came in and said ber husband bad lost a iilO-uote, prisoner went out and he followed him, and saw him plant something near the pump in the yard. He then went and informed the police. When the police cmie, they all went outside, and he found the note and handed it to Serjeant Willis. He did not notice what bank it was on, only it was au old oi,e.

William Maltby gave evidence of having on the diy in question given Edmondson a £10-note, and corroborated the previous witness as to what had occurred. He could not identify the note ; it was an old one. and he got it the same morning at the Bank of New Zealand, Akaroa.

Sergeant Willis gave evidence of having arrested the prisoner on a charge of stealing a £10-note. He denied stealing the note. On commencing to search prisoner, be said that if be would come outside he would give Mrs Edmondson the note. He saw the witness Gregor find the note now produced in the bole pointed out bj' prisoner. On being taken to the lock-up the prisoner said that he had found the note, which he took to be a £l-note, on the floor of the bar of Bruce's Hotel, aud that be had no intention of stealing it. The Bench said a case of larceny had not been made out, and the prisoner would be discharged, giving him the benefit of any doubt there might be in the case. At the same time he warned him that it would be more honest and straightforward if he found any money in future to asc ® - tain its proper owner. The prisoner was then discharged. Thursday, March 17. (Before Justin Aylmer, Esq.) Thomas Murray, who bad apparently been celebrating bis escape from the fangs of the law on the previous day by getting " glorous," was fined 10s, or 48 hours' imprisonment. Prisoner e.ected to " take it out."