MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 892, 11 August 1910, Page 3

MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

(Before Mr. W."G. Eiddell, S.M.) j "PRETTY SUDDEN!" AN' ARREST ON THE QUAY. Strollers in the vicinity of Lambton Police Station on Tuesday morning were afforded a good illustration of the Arguseyed methods of the Joteotive force. A couple of friends were talking to Detective Cassclls, possibly abont the weather, 'possibly; about something, more interesting, when a well-dressed young man in company with a lady passed along on the other side of .the street. For perhaps two seconds they we're in the line of tho officer's vision, but those two seconds were apparently enough. "Excuse me," he remarked, hurried aeross the street, tapped the man on the shoulder, indicated the way to the police station with a nod, and left the much-astonished young lady to pursue her way alone. "Pretty sudden!" remarked a bystander, and the others who saw the incident .were apparently of the same opinion. It appears that the detectives have been busy lately inquiring into numerous cases of alleged theft. Quite a number of overcoats have been reported as stolen from hotels in this city lately /and at the Magistrate's Court yesterday Henry Eraser Marshall, who was the man arrested,'appeared in answer to. the following:— Alleged theft from the Grand.Hotel on [August 6 of overcoats valued at £5 each, the property of Harry Hassell and Frank Harbottk Alleged theft from the Hotel Cecil. on August 1 of an overcoat, valued at .£5, the property of Thomas Lewis.' Alleged theft from the Hotel Cecil on July 27 of an overcoat, valued at £o, the property of Henry Gibb. Alleged. theft from the P : er Hotel on August 1 of an overcoat, valued at £5, the property.of D. 11. Fox Alleged theft fr.om the; New Commercial Hotel on August 8 of an overcoat, valued at £b: the property of Reginald Wykeham, of the Hugh Ward Company. The accused was further charged with the theft, of a bicycle from the Hotel Cecil, valued at .£ls, tho property of E. Newman, At.P. ■Tho accused pleaded guilty to all. the charges. Chief-Detective Brobcrg, who appeared for the prosecution, asked' that accused, be remanded till August 15 for sentence. So far, said the cheif-detective, only one of the overcoats and the bicycle had beon recovered. Ho believed, however, that the coats had been, sold to cabmen and carriers. . .-■,..; His Worship remanded accused accordingly. . ' . DISGRACEFUL STREET SCENE.., , As the. result of a brawl in: Courteuay Place, at a late hour on the evening of Saturday week last, George Alexander Gordon appeared charged—(l) with threatening behaviour, whereby a breach of the peace was occasioned; (2) with using improper lauguage within the hearing of passers-by; (3) with assaulting Constable Muuro while in tho execution of his duty. The accused, who was defended by Mr. P. W. Jackson, admitted the firsts charge, but pleaded not guilty to the others. According to evidence tendered for the prosecution, a disturbance took place on the night in question in the Rule Britam nia Fish Saloon, between the accused and an unknown man. Blows were exchanged, and they were put out iu the street, whero they' continued fighting. The. younger of the two. who evidently had the worst of tho encounter, ran into Air.' Rowell's shop next door, but was followed by Gordon, tho fighting being continued. Rowell ejected Gordon, but kept tho other man in the shop with a view to preventing his receiving any. further, punishment. On being' put outside, Gordon .mode iiso of certain language to Rowell. Later Constable Jlunro came on the scene, and Gordon made off down Tory Street. .Tho constable gave chase, and attempted to close with Gordon, who struck hira in the face and blocked, his hat off. At tho same time the constablo was struck from behind by someone in tho crowd. Gordon then ran behind an express which was standing close by, and the constable in attempting to get at him was struck on tho head again with a bottle by someone, in the crowd. The constable was stunned, and Gordon and ;the crowd escaped. After lengthy and "conflicting evidence his Worship convicted and fined accused .£2' and 16s. costs, in default seven days' imprisonment on the first charge. On the second "count ho was convicted and fined •C 3, in default fourteen-days in gaol, and on tho third charge was sentenced to fourteen days' imprisonment. ' NIGHT AFFAIR IN QUIN STREET. ti A mm , dlc - a S' ! d man'named Henry Joseph' Lloyd, described as a labourer, appeared on remand in answer to a charge of breaking and entering the premises of Messrs. E. H. Crease and 'Son, Quin Street, and litealing tjierefrom a quantity pf condiments valued at ,£1 2s. lOd. In addition,'an overcoat belonging to Jlr. E. Crease was missing. Mr, 'H. F O'Leary defended. ■ Frederick Win. Varo, secretary of the registered company trading, as E. H. Crease and Son, Ltd., carrying on business in Quin Street, said that on Saturday, August 6, ho left the premises at 1 p.m., and everything was then in order. On the following morning witness went through the premises with Detective Lewis, and found that the office drawers had been ransacked, and the contents strewn on the floor. Several papers had also been burnt. An attempt had also been made to open a roller-top desk with a crowbar. The place in general had been ransacked.. The goods produced in Court were similar.to those manufactured by the company. Constable M'Neill, stationed at 'Mount Cook, said that at' 3.45 a.m. on Sunday he-was on duty in Quin Street. On passing Messrs. Crease's place he saw a light in the window, and heard voices and sounds as if boxes' were being broken into. Witness went alohfe to Ingcstre Street and returned with Constablo Callery. He waited outside with a man found stauding near tho premises, and in three or four minutes Gallery emerged, bringing with him the accused, Lloyd. Both men were then left in charge'of witness while Callery prosecuted further investigations in the building. The men uidled back into a dark corner, and refused to come out into the light, both stating that ' they were all right and would not try to get away. . Shortly afterwards both of them-rushed him, and,' after a scuffle decamped down Quin Street, up Dixon Street, and thence into Howe's Lane. At .the latter dano witness blocked them, but in^thedarkness, they' escaped. ' Witness returned to Crease's buildings and there found a hat,which was dropped by accused. Later in tho day, in company with Detective Lwwis, ho weut to the Albion Boarding hoiiso in Dixon Street, and there identified accused as the man whom. Callers had handed over to him. . Corroborative evidence was given by other witnesses.. Lloyd pleaded not guilty, reserved his defence, and was committed to the Supreme Court' for trial. Bail was fixed at ,£SO, and ono surety of a similar amount'. WAS FRAUD INTENDED?. A young man named Arthur. Cyril. Dowell, alias Schapira, an insurance canvasser, appeared on remand in answer to a charge that on July 28, at Wellington, he caused a telegram to be sent purporting to be signed by the authority of A. H. Read, the intent being fraud. Air. H. F. O'Leary defended. Ernest. Alfred Thompson, counter-clerk in the Wellington Telegraph Office, stated that on July IS accused presented a telegram at the 'counter as . follows:—"Well lington, urgent. L>aac Read, Wartcrton. Can you wire me .£l2 before, one o'clock to-day. Very urgent. Writing tonight to explain. Signed, H. A. Read." Isaac Read, farmer, ' Warterton, twelve miles from Ashburton, stated' in evidence that ho handed the telegram over to the police. • Agnes Henrietta Read, doinestic servant, residing at 75 Grant Road, stated that she had known accused for some time past. In consequence of word which she had received from her father, she asked accused if he had sent the telegram, "but accused endeavoured to pass the matter off. To Mr. O'Leary: It had bceu arranged that Dowell and she were to be married either in October or about Christmas. • Witness . was aware that Dowell was to buy some furniture to cost about .£3O, and they had had a conversation about buying the furniture the uielit before tho telegram was seat.

Dowell had then said that he had not enough money by .about ,£l2 10s. Accused, had suggested sending to witness's ipeople for the money, but witness had replied that ' she • would write herself. ' Detective Cassells stated ho saw Dowell on the afternoon of August. 6 in Alolesworth Street in company with Aliss Read. He denied sending the .telegram, but on being shown tho wire, at the detective office accused admitted having sent it, as he was badly in need of money. Accused also said to witness: "Oh, you need not go to an.v trouble, as I am going to plead guilty." Accused , pleaded not guilty, reserved his defence, and was committed for trial at the Supreme Court. Bail was allowed in a'so and two sureties of «C 25 each.

A FURTHER CHARGE.

The same - accused, Dowell, was further charged that, on Afay 11, ho stole a pair.of field glasses, valued at ,£lO 10s., the property o'f D. M. Hndl.iy. Chief-Detective Brobcrg asked that accused be remanded till this afternoon. Bail wo* fjvnri us in the former, case,

OTHER CASES..

William Cliilds Hart appeared on remand charged with having, on or about June G at Jtartinborough, stolen a bicycle, valued at £ti 10s., tho property of .Tohn Jolly. Accused pleaded guilty, and Mr. P. W. Jackson, who • appeared for. him, mado.au appeal for leniency. Accused was convicted and ordered to pay .£6 10s., valuo of tho bicycle, in default 21 days' imprisonment. George Mathow Foster was remanded to appear at Auckland on August 17,- on 1 a.ehwge of having, at Rotorua, on August, 7, received .£22.105. in terms requiring him to account for same to William Norton, and did fail to do so. Thomas Frederick Frccbody, provionsly convicted of insobriety, was fined 10s.,- in default IS hours' imprisonment. Two inebriates who did not appear, for.' feited their bail of 10s., and a first offender was fined 55.,, with the option of 21 hours' imprisonment.