POLICE COURT.-This Day.

Auckland Star, Volume VI, Issue 1658, 11 June 1875, Page 2

POLICE COURT.-This Day.

(Before Dr. Home and Gustav Yon der Heyde, Esq , Justices.) DRUNKS. Several topers pleaded guilty to having indulged last night, and were punished accordingly. AX ADMISSION. James Kelly pleaded guilty to being a rogue and a vagabond, and having no lasvfal means of subsistence. A constable found the prisoner wrapped up in a tarpaulin on tha wharf last night A number of previous convictions having been-put in, prisoner was sentenced to three months' hard labour. NO APPEARANCE. Hezekiah Mann was charged with using threatening language towards Elizabeth Mann, his wife. On the complainant being called there was no answer, and the charge^ was dismissed. A DOG. James Munn was charged with having an uncollared dog. • ; Defendant was represented by bis wife, who pleaded guilty, and a fine of Is and costs was inflicted. mr. Cunningham's dog. Jno. Biglow was charged with the same offence. Defendant: I haven't got a dog. The Clerk : Do you plead guilty. Defendant (with a confident smile) ; I haven't eot a dog. Defendant was informed that the excuse would not save him. The law defined the owner of a dog to be the occupier ot the premises upon which the dog was found. Constahie Graham, in a graphic manner, described the circumstances of the finding of the dog. Defendant's wife owned to the dog being theirs. Defendant said the fact was they were so frightened at the majestic appearance of the constable that they did not know what they said." Suppose it had been Mr Cunningham's dog. The Bench : Well Mr Cunningham is here if you say that it was his. The upshot was that defendant had to pay 5s and costs, and went away muttering that the dog wasn't his anyhow. A SERIOUS CHARGE. Thonlas Ike, a Maori, was charged with ha* ing, on the night of the 3rd instant, burglariously entered the premises of William John McDowell for the purpose of committing a felony. Mr Keetley appeared for the prisoner, who is a fine tall native with bushy black beard and whiskers. Mr. Brown, Interpreter, was sworn in this case. Mrs. McDowell said she resided at Warkworth, Mahurangi. Her husband was working in the bush some sixteen miles away. She occupied a cottage with her two children. She recollected the night of the 3rd instant. She went to bed about nine o'clock. About twelve o'clock she was awoke by hearing a pane of glass breaking. She called out, who's there ? There was no answer, so she got out of bed and called again several times. There was still no answer. Then looked,out of the window and saw the prisoner. He made use of very foul language to witness. (The language used, which is not fit for publication, left no doubt that the prisoner intended to have committed a criminal assault on the woman if he could have got into the house. When she got to the window the bolt was off the catch. Prisoner had put his arm through after breaking the pane. She saw him put his arm through and push it back. She put the bolt back and fixed it with a knife and a spoon. Was screaming all the time. Prisoner was all the time standing outside the window. A neighbour named Hugh Calder came to her assistance. He took her into his house for the night. He also took the children. Next morning she went back and found, that the window was open, and there were foot-prints on the blind, on a box, on the floor, and on the bed. She knew prisoner by sight btlt had never spoken to him but once. He knew that her husband was away in the bush. She had no doubt that the» prisoner would have injured her if he could have got in. He appeared quite determined Hugh Calder a labourer, residing at Wark-

worth, within 20 yards of Mrs McDowell's house, deposed he recollected the night of the 3rd inst. He was roused from his slew, that night by the "roars of the woman sh—-._,"'' out murder." He went to her door and "c.

out what was wrong. She stopped singh_ out then, and asked the witness v there was a man there. He said no. j He heard no footsteps, nor saw anyone. Complainant then told him what had * occurred. He took her and her children into his house for the night. Daring the night footsteps about the house were plainly distinguishable. He did not see who it was. Some one came, to the back door. Ho told him to clear out. The door was fastened or the fellow would have come in. He accompanied Mrs McDowell to her house the next day.

Witness corroborated the previous witness as to the marks of a person having been in the house during the night. Mrs McDowell did not tell witness who the man was. She only said it was a dark man.

William Too. McDowell, a bushman, said that on the Ist of June he went away to the Makarau bush, where he was employed with the prisoner ia getting out sleepeis. The prisoner left Makarau on Thursday morning after breakfast. He told witness the night previously that he was going to Mahurangi Heads, and from that to Taranaki. Prisoner knew where witness lived, and that his wife was alone. On Sunday, the 6th inst,he was' with Constable Munro, when he arrested the prisoner at a Maori settlement about 3 mites from the Hot Springs. He heard Monro tell him the charge. Prisoner replied he knew he had done something wrong, but he was drunk. Michael Wm. Munro deposed he wag special constable at Warkworth. He arrested prisoner on the 6th instant. He had been after him since Friday morning. He told him tbe charge, on which he made the reply sworn to by the previous witness. Next morning at the hotel prisoner asked him if he thought £5 would sebtle it. Witness told liim he thought not. Prisoner then said he would not grudge £10 or even £15.. Witness told him he would have to go to Auckland. Prisoner asked the questions in English, which he spoke and understood, well. It was all sham his pretending not" to understand it now.

Mr Brobam said this was a common trick wita the natives. It gave a great deal of trouble.

This was the case,

Mr Ktetley said if their Worships thought there was sufficient prima facie evidence to send the ca.e for trial, he should advise the prisoner to reserve his defence. ' . ■ Tho evidence was then read over, and the prisoner, who said he did not break the house, was fully committed to take his trial at the next criminal sessions.

On the question of bail being raised, Mr Inspector Broharn said the prisoner, if convicted, might-be sentenced to penal servitude for life : he ttusted their Worships would remember this in fixing the bail. The b&il was fixed at two sureties of £100 each, and prisoner's own recognizances of £200.

This was all the business