MAGISTRATE'S COURT

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2239, 27 August 1914, Page 9

MAGISTRATE'S COURT

NAVAL RESERVISTS IN TROUBLE

SEQUEL TO A FRACAS

Mr. D. G. A. Cooper, S.M., presided ovor a sitting of the Magistrate's Court yesterday morning. Walter Hovell and Patrick Higgins,' two naval reservists, who were concerned in a small disturbance in Taranaki Street on Tuesday, appeared to answer charges appertaining '''thereto. ' The former was charged with using obscene language, and Patrick Higgins with'obstructing a constable in the execution of his duty. Hovell had used the language-, and was being conveyed to tho police station, _ when Higgins stepped in, and endeavoured to aid Hovell*a escape. A Territorial, who arrived on the scene, assisted the constable, so that both Hovell and his wouJd-ba rescuer ivero conveyed to the lock-up. On their own application both were handed over to the military authorities for punishment. CASES REMANDED. James Gillham,* the young man whs is charged with a aeries of burglaries in the city, again appeared on remand. Chief-Detective Broberg again asked for a remand, as the- preliminary evidence had been taken bofore another Magistrate. The remand was granted. ■' Ernest Jones and Patrick Joseph O'Connor appeared on remand charged with the theft of a silver watch, necklet and pendant from the dwelling of Patrick Wm. Corby, and were again remanded till Wednesday. / , ' OTHER OFFENCES. Harry, Ostenberg pleaded, guilty to charges of drunkonnoss, and with committing a grossly indecent.act in Tory Street. On the first charge acoused was fined 10s., or forty-eight hours' imprisonment, and on tho second fined £2, ■ of'one month's imprisonment. For drunkenness,' Maud Isabel Laurenson, John' O'Brien, and Charles Hannam were each fined £1, or forty-eight hours' imprisonment, . and Thomas Reeves and William Lynch £2, or fourteen clays' imprisonment. Five first offenders were dealt with. '■- George Mace was charged with indecency in Pipitea Street. Accused, who was represented by Mr. P. W. Jackson, was committed to tho Supremo Court for trial. Bail was allowed in £75. with two sureties of £25, or ono of £50. Arthur Alexander Ancell, charged with a -serious' offence in respect to a little girl, was further remanded until August-28.'■

. CIVIL BUSINESS. V.

A BUSINESS DISPUTE. A dispute relative to the biisii ne'ss of R. H. Scott and Co., tailors • and outfitters, Dunedin and Wellington, was heard before Mr. W. G. Riddell, S.M., in the Magistrate's Court yesterday afternoon. The fmrties to the dispute wore John Ludeman Matthews, of Hastings,, shop assistant, and R. H. Scott and Co., defendants. Plaintiff claimed £117 9s. 4d., being 25. per cent, of the net profit of thofbranoh business at Dunedin'over which plaintiff was manager, andjntorest on the same, malting in all £124;10s. •; Defendants cpunterKilaimed.. in i the 1 sum 0f£193 4s. lid.',, made lipof damages. £177 4s. lid. (caused it was alleged by plaintiff's negligence in - his Control.of the Wellington business), and the 'sum of £16, the latter as'expenses defendants had incurred in visiting at and staying, in Wellington during investigations '/ -rendered necessary by plaintiff's alleged negligence in the, management of the said business i Mr. Levi appeared for plaintiff, and Mr. T. Neave for defendants. . After hearing the evidence' tbe case was adjourned till 10 o'clock oh Saturday morning, when legal judgment' will bb heard.

A THREE-YEAR-OLD CRIME

FINGER-PRINT EVIDENCE REJECTED. (By/-Telegraph—Press Association.) Auckland, August 26. Yesterday _ afternoon tho'jury in the case. in which James Falkcner, alias Watson, alias Foley, was charged with breaking and entering the shop of P. Larsen, Shortland Street, and stealing one lrandred pendants, and alternatively • with, receiving twenty-six pendants found in his possession, returned a verdiofc of guilty of receiving, thereby rejecting 'the evidence of fmgor-prints on pieces of broken window bjf which thq police- sought to identify the prisoner with a crimc'Committed three years ago. When Falkener appeared before the Judge for sentence to-day, counsel for defendant pleaded for leniency. In passing sentence, His' Honour expressed the opinion that the jury had taken a very lenient view of the caso. That being the case,' he did not intend to allow his own strong view that accused was responsible for the theft itself to enter into consideration. In order to dive tho prisoner an opportunity of showing his desire to reform, and allowing for the fapt that the crime happened two or thrceXyears ago, the sentence would be one of six months' imprisonment; to be followed by two years' reformative treatment.

The announcement that Mr. Chas. Frohman has engaged Mjss Marie Lohr in the prime of hor London popularity to appear under his management in the United States is believed to' bo tho end of Miss "Billie*' Burke's "starring" career with the,, great theatrical maguate. Miss Lohr (who, by the way, made her stage debut in Sydney in 1896) is to London just what "Billie" Burke is to New York—the leading exJ ponent of refined comedy., and there would never be room for the two in one production. When, a few months ago, New York was startled by the announcement of "Biliie" Burke's marriage to Mr. Florence Ziegfeld, tho wellknown Folios manager, it was suggested that that would mean the end of her career under Mr. Frohman; that he would novor'.caro to deal with his star through a husband whoso aspirations as a theatrical producer tend in a diametrically opposite direction from those -of himself. ■