LAW REPORTS

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2227, 13 August 1914, Page 9

LAW REPORTS

SUPREME COURT

' CRIMINAL TRIALS

- THEFT ON THK NIKAU His Honour Mr. Justice Hosking «as again on the Bench yesterday morniui! when the criminal sessions of the Supreme Court were continued. ' Mr. r. S. IC. Macassey, of the Crown Law Office, represented the Crown. A young man, named Daniel O'Keefe, was oherged with ■ the theft of a' watch, a chain, a'pendant* ; a riug, a silver sovereign case, a tie-pin, ~ and MO in money, valued in all at. c£26 17s. 6d., the property of Steven AndrewTilley.' The theft was committed on the , " steamer - Nikau ■ during- the, • vdyage- from ( Nelson to Wellington on July 3.- 0 Kcefe . pleaded not guilty, and was defended by ; Mr..P. W.. Jackson.,' ■' the •evidence for. ,the. prosecution was ; on the lines tendered in the Eower Court ; on July 20: ••O'Kcefe.'had represented to ; a passenger on the steamer Nikau. that he , (O'Keeffi) . was the steward of that, vessel, : and the passenger entrusted hitn with ■, the money and jewellery for safe keeping. O'Keefe disappeared at the first port o!, .! call, and was later arrested, with the ; jewellery in 'bis possession. > Hβ: denioa • 1 anyiutentionof mieappropHating'thepro- -, The jury after a brief 'retirement re-' j turned a verdict; of guilty, .and O.Keefo , was remauded for sentence until to-day..'.,■; : ,; /Australian in tlw Docki ; ; An Australian, named Frederick Logan, alias Frederick Logan Marshall, about twenty-eight years of,age, was charged with the theft-of a watoh,, chain, and sovereign-case, and .£9 103. ia money, thp property of Daniel Sullivan. Mi , . C..V. Goultcr appeared for the prisoner, who pleaded' not' guilty. ' ' • ■■.'.■ Evidence for the prosecution was to the . effoct.that the theft occurred -in Wellington during race week, the informant havina; made .the acquaintance of, the aocuaod at tho Adelphi Hotel. Accused was traced through a local pawnshop, and was arrested in Auckland, whon he made a long statement to the arresting detective. V ' . ■■■■'",■ ~' "•' Giving evidence on his own behalf, accused denied any_ intention of theft, atid maintained that informant had given him the .money to , bet with,, and the jewellery. . to take care of, with instructions'that'ie' inieh pawn the watch. -• :-;.:.:. Mr. Macassey crose-examined tie accused at considerable length, and;.iit .5.45 p.m. mads ,an application for. leave to question the prisoner, under, a. special rale.; • • ■. .i.. . .-.-.' .••;• :■ . ' His Honour said he would deal,with , the application in Chambers this, morning, and the hearing was .adjourned meanwhile., « .■. ..... ...