SUPREME COURT, DUNEDIN.

Cromwell Argus, Volume IV, Issue 166, 14 January 1873, Page 7

SUPREME COURT, DUNEDIN.

The Criminal Sittings Of the above Court were opened at Dunedin on Monday, 6th inst. Five cases were set down for trial ; but no true bill having been found in the case of Peter M'Donafd, indicted for arson at Palmerston, there thus remained only four to come before the petit jury. EMBEZZLEMENT. Robert Littlecott was found guilty upon a charge of the above nature. Tiie offence occurred at Oamaru, the moneys embezzled being the property of his master, Mr T. H. Brown, commission agent. It seemed that the prisoner had been receiving the small salary of 255. a week, and on this account he was recommended to mercy. In sentencing him, the Judge remarked that the jury had not known that the prisoner had been twice convicted previously,—once for obtaining money under false pretences, and again for uttering forged instruments. He would sentence the prisoner to four years' ment. Unlawfully wounding. John Peter Beck was charged with wounding Jane Beck, bis wife, at Coal Creek, near Teviot, with intent to kill. From the evidence for the prosecution, it appeared that the prisoner and his wife went to the Teviot races on Boxing Day. On the way home prisoner, who was drunk, lay down in the bush and refused to go home. Mrs Beck, after vainly endeavouring to rouse him up, went on her way to their house, accompanied by two men, —Andrew Nelson, a packer, and another named Fitzgerald. These two men she asked to stay and " protect" her, for she knew what a temper her husband would be in when he arrived. Fitzgerald left her and Nelson together at midnight. She afterwards went to a hotel, and procured a bottle of liquor. During the night, she lay down on her bed with her clothes on, while Nelson slept on a sofa in an outer room. The prisoner made his appearance about daylight in the morning, and asked his wife what the bottle was doing on the table. He then struck at her with the tomahawk, first pushing her back on to the bed. Nelson rushed in, seized prisoner, and she escaped. Accused said in his statement that seeing the tomahawk lying near he picked it up to frighten his wife, and not to do her any injury. When he entered the house Nelsrm ran out. The bedroom door was five or six inches open, and his wife was standing behind it with her foot against it. He told her that it was a fine game she was playiag, to have a bottle on the table, and Andrew Nelson in the bedroom with her. Prisoner was found guilty of unlawfully wounding, and was sentenced to three months' imprisonment. BOBBERY FROM A DWELLING, Peter Robertson was charged with stealing a £lO note from the hut of Hans Brant, at Kyeburn, on the 3rd June. The evidence is of such a nature that it can not be summarised ; but it was so clear and conclusive, that the jury brought in a verdict of guilty Without leaving the box. The prisoner was already in gaol upon a sentence of twelve months for stealing a gold watch at Alexandra ; and he now received an additional two years. Tuesday, 7th January. INDECENTLY ASSAULTING A CHILD, John Higgins pleaded not guilty of indecently assaulting one Victoria Louisa Waldon, on the 24th November, at Blacks. Prisoner wa3 found not guilty, after a few minutes' absence of the jury. Mr W. W. Wilson, who defended the prisoner, mentioned that he had received a memorial, signed by 160 residents at Blacks, testifying to Higgins's good character.