SUPREME COURT, DUNEDIN.

Cromwell Argus, Volume I, Issue 32, 22 June 1870, Page 6

SUPREME COURT, DUNEDIN.

* THURSDAY, JUNE 9. ( (Before His Honor Mr Justice Chapman.) His Honor took his seat at ten o'clock. , SKI-LINO SPURIOUS GOLD. A Chinaman named Muk Kum, a miner, was indicted for having sold, on the 11th [ April last, a composition of lead and gold, , he having represented the same to be genuine gold. From the statement of the Crown Prosecutor, it appeared that the prisoner went , to the shop of William Colclough, store- { keeper and gold-buyer, Cardrona, and sold x to him what was represented as genuine gold, which weighed 4oz. 7dwt 12grs, and for which the prisoner received £l6 Bs. When the composition was analysed, it was found that it consisted of 4ozs 15dwts 20grs of lead and ldwt 2grs of gold. The lead is valued at 4d and the gold at 4s; r so that for property valued at 4s 4d the' prisoner received £l6 Bs. The witnesses examined were William Colclough, Sergeant Fox. stationed at t Queenstown, and Edwin T. Payne, who analysed the composition, and stated that out of 3dwts Bgrs he found.scarcely one ? grain of gold, the rest being lead. The jury returned a verdict of guilty, 5 and the prisoner was sentenced to be im- ' prisoned for two years, with hard labor. FALSE PRKTBNCES-. x Sam Queen, alias Jamie, alias Ah Lee, 2 alias Flash Jamie, who had been previously sentenced to three months' imprisonment f for theft, was indicted for having, on the 19th March, at Cromwell, obtained £6 5s e from Ann Box. hotelkeeper, by means of 3 false representations. The evidence advanced went to show _ that the prisoner had been residing at the s house of the prosecutrix for some days ~ prior to the day on which he got the j money ; that he finally represented to the £ prosecutrix that he had got £16,000 in j the bank ; that he was largely interested in mining matters, having four Europeans 3 working for him at Bendigo Gully, and i two tons of quartz to crush ; that he was a Government interpreter at a salarv of , £250 a-year ; that he was about to open an t hotel at Cardrona ; that he wanted prosej cutrix to lend him £6 5s ; that he would . return the money in the evening, and re- | quested her to provide him with tea on his return, and to " cook a goose" for dinner I the following Sunday. On the faith of th* foregoing representations being tme. the prosecutrix lent the prisoner ike money mentioned. The witnesses examined were Ann Box; also the constable who arrested the prisoner, and Sergeant Fox, both of whom gave evidence disproving the allegations made by the prisoner to the prosecutrix. The jury returned a verdict of Guilty, and the prisoner was sentenced to twelve months' imprisonment. A second charge against the prisoner, of obtaining goods from Michael Fraer by means of false representations, was not proceeded with. STEALING A WATCH AT OAMARU. Thomas Harding was indicted for having, at Oaniaru, on the 27th April, stolen a gold watch. The prisoner was found guilty, and he was ordered to be imprisoned for twelve months. FORGERY AND UTTERING. William Gray was indicted for having in December, 1869, forged and uttered a cheque for £l7l ss. Mr Barton made an able address to the jury on behalf cf the prisoner. He ur«-ed amongst other things that the prisoner was very much under the influence of drink during the time the alleged offence was committed, and that as soon as ho became sober the money obtained was given up. The learned counsel, before he concluded his address, complained of the conduct of several of the jurymen, who he stated had manifested such an indifference in the case as to permit themselves to fall asleep whilst he was addressing them. It was most discouraging to counsel to see such inattention, and he regretted that he should have had to make such remarks respecting gentlemen occupying the position of jurors, but he felt that in doing so, he had only done his duty to his client. One of the jurymen made some request in an indistinct tone of voice, whereupon Mr Barton replied : I shall do nothing of the kind, sir ;—if the cap fits, you may wear it if you like. The jury found the prisoner guilty, but strongly recommended him to mercy. He was remanded for sentence. The Court then adjourned until next day. FRIDAY, JUNE 10. {Before His Honor Mr Justice Chapman.) EMBEZZLEMENT. William Henry Card well was indicted for having, on the 14th March last, misappropriated the sum of £ll 14s, the property of his late employers, Messrs Wilson and Birch, brewers, Dunedin. The jury returned a verdict of not guilty, and the prisoner was discharged. SENTENCES. William Gray, who had been found guilty of forgery and uttering was seutenced to two years' imprisonment, with hard j labor. John Creagh (26) was brought up for ! sentence on the charge preferred against I )

him at the instance of his late employer, Mr George Cook, solicitor. Mr Cook oaid the prisoner had been in his employ for the last eeven years. Ho was well educated, and was possessed of considerable legal attainments. He had a wne and family, and he (Mr Cook) hoped the Court might pass a light sentence, so that ho might commence anew in some sphere. The prisoner was sentenced to penal servitude for seven years the lowest period that the Statute allows. TRIAL POSTPONED. The trial of David Storey, charged with stealing a watch at Switzers, was, on the application of the prisoner, postponed until the next sittings of the Court, in September, no depositions having been furnished.