SUPREME COURT.—Criminal Sittings.

Auckland Star, Volume I, Issue 290, 14 December 1870, Page 2

SUPREME COURT.—Criminal Sittings.

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 13,

[Before His Honor Sir G. A. Arney, Knight, Chief Justice.]

Hi 3 Honob took his seat on the Bench at 10 o'clock.

Gtrai Robbery. — Agustus Lemme was charged with stealing four bags of gum, the property of Charles Goolhue, at Wairnea, near Kawakawa, on the Bth of July last. Mr. JBrookfield appeared on behalf of the Crown, and Mr. Sheehan for the prisoner. The facts of the case are, shortly, these : The prosecutor lives at Waimea, and on the Bth July he sent a quantity of gum some thirty-nine bags -to Kawakawa, en route for Auckland. When afc this place it was placed on board a derrick, and it was while it was here that the four bags were stolen. The prisoner ' was residing near Kawakawa at the time, and ho heard the prosecutor say where the gum was placed. After the gum was missed it was traced to his possession, or gum of a similar character. He was afterwards apprehended upon the charge of stealing the gum. —Several witnesses were examined, who were cross-examined at considerable length by Mr. Sheehan, tvho did not, however, succeed in shaking their credibility.—One of these witnesses was a Maori named Ruahiui, whose evidence, having to be translated, lasted a considerable time.—Ultimately the Court adjourned at half-past six till ten o'clock this morning, when the case will be resumed. The jury were locked up for the night. WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 14. [Before His Honor Sir Geo. Arney, Chief Justice and Common Juries.] Tiie Case of Ginr Stealing.— Augustus Lemme was again brought up on this charge, and the ease, which had been adjourned from the previous evening, was proceeded with, the jury, who had been locked up all night, taking their seats in the box at ten o'clock, at which time His Honor entered the Court. Mr. Brookfield again appeared on behalf of the Crown, and Mr. Sheehan on behalf of the prisoner. Three native witnesses were examined with a view to the identification of the gun and conneotiing it with the prisoner also the policeman who arrested him him on the charge of stealing the four bags gum.—The case for the prosecution being concluded, Mr. Sheehan said that he intended to call several witnesses for the defence and urged that the evidence was entirely circumstantial, he then called the following wtnesses : Mary Anne Prime deposed that she lived with the prisoner. The gum which had been deposed to as having been stolen, belonged to the prisoner. Part of it she had dug herself; the rest she and tho children had picked up on the beach opposite their own house, on the other side of the river. She had been about twelve months collecting the gum which had been spoken of as stolen. [Left sitting.]