POLICE COURT.—THIS DAY.

Auckland Star, Volume VI, Issue 1674, 30 June 1875, Page 2

POLICE COURT.—THIS DAY.

(Before Thomas Beckham, Esq., R.M., and G. Yon der Heyde, Esq., J.P.) A TURBULENT COOK. John Frederick Hall, described as the cook of the British ship Fernglen, was brought up on a charge of using threatening language towards Walter Frazer, Captain of tho said ship, on the 28th inst. Prisoner pleaded not guilty.. Captain Frazer deposed that on Monday afternoon the prisoner tapped him on the shoulder when opposite Messrs. Owen and Graham's, and said : " Captain, if you take me on board again you shall never see London, for I will certainly do for you by the God above the clouds." Prisoner denied the allegation. His Worship : Do you really fear him ? Captain Fraser : I do, yoar Worship. He, being the cook, might cook me through the provisions. Prisoner : I should do no such thing ! My character is of too much value to venture on cooking the Captain. ~_ fe The Court ordered the prisoner to find sureties for six weeks of £25 each, until the sailing of the ship on the Ist August, or be in prison until that time. A CROW AMOJX'G THE POULTRY. William Francis Crow, an able-bodied man, was brought up on a charge of stealing 4 hens and 2 ducks, value 16s, the property of Stephen Hooker, of Mount Eden Cottage, on the 23 rd inst v Mr Joy appeared for prisoner. . Mr Broham asked for a remand until Monday which was granted. Mr Joy asked that reasonable bail might be granted; the price of the poultry was only 168. The Court considered that, if prisoner entered into his own recognizances for £60,

and found two sureties of £30 each, it % ; ould be sufficient..; , OVERLOADING. .-.'.' Patrick Grace was summoned under the Harbour Board Regulations with having, on the 3rd inst., driven his dray along the wharf containing a load exceeding 30 cwt. Mr J. B. Russell, appeared for the Harbour Board. » i Mr Grace said he would plead guilty, but I he really did not not know that his load was S. so heavy. i Mr Russell read the order of the HarbourMaster, Mr Burgess, shewing that no cart could be allowed on the wharf with a load exceeding 30 cwfc. This, said Mr Russell, was but a preliminary case ; there were about thirty others to come. ' His Worship said that as this was the first case under the Harbour Regulations, the Court would deal 'suuunarily with it, aind. only fine defendant 10s and costs. DRINK AND MADNESS. The young man, John Hunter, described as a baker, was again brought up on a charge of attempting to commit self-destruction by marking his throat with a razor, on the 25th inst! The young man looked extremely shy, and was tremulous with emotion, holding tohand before his eyes. Jane Kennedy, wife of William Kennedy, engineer, of Beresford-street, deposed that prisoner was her brother, and had been staying at her house. On the evening of the" 25th inst. her attention was attracted by her brother, who,*_ad a razor in his hand; he got the razor out of his carpet-bag in the kitchen; he opened the razor and drew it across his throat. She imimmediately caught hold of it, attempted to take it from him and got her finger cut; she got the razor from him after a struggle. He said he; wantedto put an end to his life, he was weary of existence, she saw a wound ; he got hold.,of a second razor, which hev , attempted to use ; her husband secured the '.. second, both were given up to Constable Mulville who was in attendance. She believed the attempt was made through drunkenness; he had been drinking that evening ; he had a wound in his head, caused some years ago, and whenever he drank, his head was effected. : To Mr Joy: The wound was at the j back of the head-caused by a stone. s She was certain that her brother did not know what he was doing that night. He was very drunk. She never saw him so bad before. He was mad with drink. At other times he was quiet and peaceable, and , she should feel perfectly safe under the same roof with him. William Kennedy, husband of the last witness, corroborated her evidence. j Mr Joy, in addressing the Court for the defence, respectfully suggested that in the ; present ease the finding of sureties for his j good conduct in the future would be sufficient; the prisoner had all along been a [ steady, sober man, as his master, Mr Baird, was .ready to prove; but the prisoner had unfortunately taken some of the stuff sold . in the city, which was little better than poison, and which drove the prisoner mad ; and he was beside himself. ' His Worship said that this was a deliberate i attempt at committing suicide, and he should not like to take the responsibility upon himself in ordering sureties : he would look into J the authorities cited by Mr Joy, and leave „ his decision until the morning. Remanded accordingly. THE BARSTOWS.

Margaret Barstow was charged, under the "Vagrant Act," with having no visible, lawful means of support ; and Sarah, Louisa, and Elizabeth Barstow were charged with being destitute and neglected children, within the meaning of the Act. Mr Broham said that the woman was liv-

ing in a wretched hovel in Chancery Lane. The children looked emaciated and halfstarved. Her husband (now in prison) was a most disreputable character, who lived upon the woman's degredation. Sergeant-Major Pardy deposed that the husband of the prisoner was a very bad character, and kept a house of ill-fame. The woman herself was a very bad woman.

Detective Grace knew the woman as an habitual drunkard, and^ an associate of thieves and prostitutes. , Her children were entirely neglected. The Court, having looked over a long list of offences against the prisoner, committed her to prison for three months. The children, aged seven and five, bore melancholy traces of neglect and squalor, and were ordered to St. Jinary's Orphanage, to be brought up in the faith of Roman Catholic Church for seven and nine years. RATE DEFAULTERS. Mr J. B. Francis was summoned for nonpayment of a special rate of 18s 9d, for property burnt down in Queen-street. Mr Francis said during the nine years he held the premises his landlord always paid the rates, and he considered he was not responsible. . Mr Phillips said that a notice was served upon Francis for this special rate for which he was held responsible. ■. John. Israel Phillips, employed by the City Council proved delivering the notice to defendant. '." r~f James Benjamin Francis deposed that he occupied the premises at the time of the making of the rate, but was not clear about receiving a notice, the landlord always paid it. His Worship : There is no escape for you, you will have to pay the amount, and get it from your landlord. Martin Harney .was summoned for payment of 17s 6d for property in Victoriastreet, ii Mr Harrop proved the amount to be still owing. Judgment for plaintiffs. '■'.', This was all the business.