SUPREME COURT, DUNEDIN.

Cromwell Argus, Volume V, Issue 231, 14 April 1874, Page 6

SUPREME COURT, DUNEDIN.

The Criminal Sittings of the above Court opened on Wednesday, April 8, before His Honor Mr Justice Chapman. TRUE BILLS. True Bills were found by the Grand Jury against the whole of the prisoners on the list with the exception of Jones, who had been committed from Mount Ida, on the charge of stealing a horse, the property of Thomas Logan. STEALING A CHEQUE. Henry Keen (30) was indicted for having, on the 15th January, stolen a cheque of £37, from William Grant. The prisoner, who was undefended, pleaded Not Guilty. The accused was employed by Grant to drive some horses from Canterbury to this Province, and both of them stayed at the Waimate Hotel, on the night of the 15th January, on their way down. They both slept in the same room, and a few days after Grant missed a cheque for £37, which accused knew was in Grant’s pocket. Keen afterwards cashed the cheque, and when questioned by the Police made some statements to the etlect that he had found the cheque iu another room of the Waimate Hotel. The prisoner made no defence, and the Jury without retiring found him Guilty. He was sentenced to two years’ imprisonment with hard labour.

STEALING GOLD WATCH AND CHAIN, ETC. Joseph Lunclman was charged with having, on the 12th January, 1874, stolen, at Cromwell, a gold watch and chain and other property, valued in all at £36, being the goods and chattels of Carl John Frosherg. The prisoner pleaded guilty, and was remanded for sentence. EMBEZZLEMENT AT DUNEDIN. John Blair was indicted for having, on the sth January, being then employed in the public service of Her Majesty the Queen, stolen a cheque for £O9 ISs. Bd, the property of Her Majesty the Queen. The accused pleaded guilty, and was remanded for sentence. STEALING MONEY. George Orossby (40) was indicted for having, on the Och February, 1874, stolen the sum of 7s. from the till of William Bishop Martin, at Alexandra. The prisoner defended himself, examining several witnesses, and addressing the Jury with all the readiness of a practised lawyer. The Jury returned a verdict of “ Guilty,” after a few minutes’ deliberation. In answer to the Crown Prosecutor, the accused stated that lie had been convicted of felony in 1868, but at once proceeded to show that he had been wrongly convicted. The Crown Prosecutor stated that twenty-four previous convictions were recorded against the prisoner. lie was sentenced to five years’ imprisonment.

QUEEN V. LONG. In the case of the Queen v. Long, wilful murder, Mr Barton, on behalf of the prisoner, asked for a Special Jury. This was granted, and the trial fixed for the 22nd. ROBBERY FROM THE PERSON, Jane Glass, a young woman, was charged with having stolen a purse containing £75, from the person of Edwin Belcher on the Ist of April. The prisoner pleaded Not Guilty, and was undefended. The evidence was to the effect that the prosecutor, a gardener at Oamaru, came to town with between £7O to £BO in his possession. He went to the Albion Hotel on the Ist inst., with a man named Bell, and there they met prisoner and,another woman. He went into the street and the prisoner followed him, put her arms round his neck, put her hand into his pocket, and took his purse, which contained £75, He accused her of the theft. She denied it, and he gave information to the Police. The prisoner was arrested, but the money was not found. The prosecutor, however, found the empty purse in his coat pocket. The Jury, after retiring, brought in a verdict of Not Guilty. The prisoner was discharged. ■ ' FALSE PRETENCES. On Say (35) was indicted for having, on the 17th January, obtained from Messrs Herbert, Haynes, and Co. a quantity of goods by means of false pretences, namely, representing that he was Mo Ping, the agent for the Chinese employed on the railway works at Invercargill. The prisoner was found Guilty. There were three previous convictions against him, and he was sentenced to four years’ penal servitude. GOLD-STEALING. Richard Todd (33) was indicted for having, on the 23rd December, 1873, stolen loz. 12dwt. 4gr. gold ; on the 25th January, 1874, loz. 6dwt. 6gr. gold ; on the 27th of the same month, loz. 17dwt, 18gr. gold, the property of Messrs Hill and Holmes, who reside at Tinkers, and in whose claim he was working. The jury returned a verdict of Guilty on the third count, and acquitted the prisoner on the other two. He was sentenced to be imprisoned and kept to hard labour for twelve calendar months.

Thursday, 9tli April. SENTENCES. John Blair (19), v/ho, on the previous day, pleaded guilty to a charge of having stolen a cheque for £99 odd from the General Government, by whom he was employed, was now brought up for sentence. Mr VV. D. Stewart, who appeared fur the prisoner, did not call any witnesses as to character, but urged that his client, who was respectably connected at home, unfortunately became acquai nted, on his arrival here, with persons of gambling habits, who had taken most of the money in his possession. He had only been in receipt of asm ill salary. His Honor said that at the age of 19 years, the prisoner was quite old enough to know better. If lie had been older, a heavier sentence would have been inflicted. The sentence of the Court was that he should be imprisoned and kept to hard labour for twelve calendar months. Joseph Lundman (92), who pleaded guilty on the previous day to a charge of having stolen from a public-house at Cromwell, a gold watch and chain, and other property. His Honor said this appeared to be the prisoner’s first offence, but if he came before the Court a second time the sentence would be much heavier. The sentence of the Court was that he should be imprisoned and kept at hard labour for 18 months. FORGING A LEASE. In the case of the Queen v. MTntosh, Mr for a special jury. The application was granted, and Friday, the 17th, tixed as the day for hearing. OBTAINING MONEY AND GOODS UNDER FALSE PRETENCES. William Henry Bruce (93) was indicted for having, on the 10th March, 1874, obtained from A. Bartlemau, Manager of the National Bank at Dunedin, the sum of £2O, by means of a valueless cheque. Mr S. D. Branson defended the prisoner.

The prisoner was introduced to M r Bartleman as Dr Bruce, of the Taieri, and represented himself as a customer of the Taieri branch of the National Bank. Re induced Mr Bartleman to cash his cheque for £2O, drawn upon the Taieri Bank. The checpie was returned dishonoured by the Manager of the Taieri Bank, who stated that the prisoner never had any account at that Bank. After a few minutes’ deliberation, the Jury returned a verdict of Guilty. The prisoner then pleaded Guilty to a charge of obtaining goods from Sampson, tailor and clothier, Dunedin, by means of avalueless cheque. His Honor said it was a melancholy thing to see a person in prisoner’s station in life, which implied a certain liberal education, falling into crimes of this description. No class of men in the world are so fully aware of the destructive consequences of drunkenness as medical men, yet unfortunately we do see medical men not unfrequently falling into intemperate habits. On the first indictment the sentence of the Court would be twelve months’ imprisonment, with hard labour ; and on the second indictment, imprisonment for six calendar months, with hard labour, the second punishment taking place after the expiration of the first sentence. PERJURY AT THE TAIERI. Henry Augustus Campbell, a coloured man, was indicted for having on the 20th February, 1874, committed wilful and corrupt perjury. Mr Stout defended the prisoner. The offence was alleged to have been committed at Outram, in a case brought against the prisoner by P. M. Grant and Co. upon a promissory note. The prisoner on that occasion swore that ho had not signed the note in question. After a short consultation, the Jury brought in a verdict of Not Guilty. EMBEZZLEMENT, William Sturrock was charged with having, ou the Bth November, at Tokomairiro, embezzled the sum of 16s. 3d. received by him on account of his employer. Mr Stout defended the prisoner. The Jury returned a verdict of “ Not Guilty” without retiring from the box. _ Some applause took place in Court, on the delivery of this verdict. Two young men were arrested, and sentenced to twenty-four hours’ imprisonment for contempt of Court. The Court then adjourned till 10 a, in. next day.