POLICE COURT.—Monday.

Auckland Star, Volume I, Issue 247, 24 October 1870, Page 2

POLICE COURT.— Monday.

[Before J. Naughton and G. P. Pierce, Eqs. Justices.]

Drunkenness. —W. Armitage, Alexander, Shearer, S. Mclntyre, and J. McDonald, were fined each ss. and costs, or to be imprisoned 24 hours, with hard labour.—J. Ralph and A. Shearer not appearing forfeited bail. Assault —W. Sterling was charged with having assaulted T. H. Jones.—Mr. Sheehan for the prosecution ; Mr. Hesketh for the de-fence.—-Prosecutor deposed: On going to Stirling's house to see my wife, whom I believed secreted there, the light was blown out, and prisoner coming out I asked him if anyone was there belonging to me. I spoke quietly He caught me by the throat, threw me down, and pounded me in the face. I iaid " Sterling, don't do that; if there is any dispute, it is not with you." He was beating me for four or five minutes. I went and had my wounds dressed. On going back with a constable for my hat prisoner said I had been prowlin-r about his place all the day, and in consequence he had beaten me. I had not been at his house that day. On the Thursday evening previous I had gone to the house for my wife, and said if she was there I would take legal proceedings to have her given to me. I am still afi aid of prisoner, and request protection. —To ilr. Hesketh : Mrs. Sterling is my wife s sister. My wife was at Sterling's house, I believe, on Sunday week. I believe my wife | was there on Friday night. She came with ! me by the City of Melbourne—having come from Geelong. She left me oa reaching Auckland. I did not leave her m G-eelong-I have only one lawful wife. She has left me because I was not in a position to pay off the mortgage on her mother's property. It was not because she had found, on going to Geelon*, that I had a wife there. lam a widower ; and none but Mrs. Sterling's sister is my wife ; and, up to the time of coming by the City of Melbourne we lived quietly together. Another claim was sought to be established on me which was not established. It was made in Melbourne. As soon as she got here she left me. I never heard him tell me to Uave his premises. I' was engaged as special correspondent for two years at Honolulu for the Argus. I declinetoanswerjhe

%Zrn§\l hoo^ihuif'money under false pretences.—Constable Cosgrove deposed to having seen the injuries on the face of prosecutor fresh on Friday night, having accompanied him to house of defendant for his hat. Defendant said that prosecutor would not go off his premises. Prosecutor smelt of drink. — To Mr. Hesketh : Mr. Sterling is a quiet, inoffensive man. —Michael Corcoran, deposed : I am proprietor of the Greyhound Hotel. Saw Jones on Friday night, between nine and ten ; he was then quite sober.—Mr. Hesketh addressed the Bench at some length for the defenee,showing that proaecutorhad refused to go off his premises.—Fined £5 or to be imprisoned a month, and to give security himself in £50 and two sureties in £25 each to keep the peace lor three months.

Laecent. — Michael Burns was charged with stealing, in August. last, from the Northern Club, a hat and comforter, value 55., the property of Mr. H. Isaacs.—Prosecutor deposed to having left the articles produced at the Club, and to their having been stolen.— Detective Ternaham deposed to having found prisoner secreting the articles behind his house. Prisoner had got two months for stealing clothes from lines. That is the reason the charge was not brought before.—The same prisoner was charged with steding from the same place, an overcoat, value £3, the property of Mr. Hutchison. — Mr. Nathan proved the property, and to its being taken from the Club. —John Goldsmith, house steward, corroborated the previous evidence, and stated its value to be £2. Detective Terhahan deposed to having found tbj coat at the same time as the previous articles in possession of prisoner. He sttted that lie had bought the coat. —Sentenced to 14 days' imprisonment for the first offence, and one month for the second, both with hard labor.— The same prisoner was charged with stealing three blankets, value 405., from E. T. Jones. —On the application of Mr. Brobam, the case was remanded till to morrow.—Thomas Brown, alias J. Rob.-on, John Cooper, and Thomas Brown, w.-re charged with stealing a ham from Messrs. GlanviUe aud Elliott's, value 18s., on last Saturday night.—C. Tipper, deposed : Saw Robson go to the shop and take up the bundle and go away with it. Saw the three prisoners come up the street near the Greyhound. On coming to the corner they commenced to fight, whilst Robson went round the corner with the ham.— Mr. GlanviUe, deposed : I missed a ham from inside the door. It is that produced, and valued 18s. The two prisoners, Cooper and Brown, were fighting a mock fight.—Detective Ternahan, deposed to having found the ham in the corner of Hardington's yard. Saw the three prisoners together. They are all thieves, and sometimes prowl together.— Robson was sentenced to one month' 3 imprisonment with hard labour ; the two others were discharged. —James Eaton was charged with stealing a coat, found in his possession.—Constable Wadrnan deposed to having found prisoner with the coat in his possession, believed to be stolen.—On the application of Mr. Broha-n, the case was remanded till Wednesday.

The Court then rose