MAGISTRATE'S COURT

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2364, 21 January 1915, Page 9

MAGISTRATE'S COURT

*. A MIDNIGHT VISITOR COMMITTED FOR SENTENCE. | Several chargos of broaking and entering and attemptiug to break and enter premises in tho City were preferred against Oscar Stangoby, who yoßterday appeared boforo Mr. D. G. A. Cooper, S.M., in tho Magistrate's Court, on remand, to have the depositions of tho charges, which aro all indictable, > recorded. The charges preferred against accused were as follow:—(1) January 5, breaking and entering the shop of H. D. Edwards by night and stealing , a kit bag, valued at 255., tho property , of W. Usher. (2) On the same date , breaking and entering Edwards's shop ( and stealing 10 pairs of boots and one . purse, valued at £10 lis., the property , of H. D. Edwards. (3) January 7, breaking and entering the premises of i Moses Edgar and Co. and stealing 11 i knives, the property of Edgar and Co. ■ (4) January 7, breaking and entering the premises of Robert Dunlop Smith,. < with intent to commit a crime. Evidence in regard to the first two charges were taken first. The purse and kit stolen had been fcund on his being searched by Constable Parkinson, while Detective Bailey had found the other property amongst accused's effects on the steamer John. On being charged with offences at the gaol accused made no reply, but later on being shown tho stolen property said: "I see you have got ( the bag and'the. hoots: if you had told me that yesterday I would have pleaded guilty " At the conclusion of the evidence ac- ■ cused pleaded guilty, and was committed to the Supreme Court for sentence.' i In respect to the other two charges, • Inspector- Hendrey explained that tho evidence was purely circumstantial. A man was observed attemptine to open • doors and windows near the premises, and the police were informed, and thny found accused hiding behind a packing ease. When discovered he had his boots off. „ ' Evidence was given by James Fenderwin Hudson, custodian of the Federal Club, that some time .after- midnight he was in the club rooms when he ob--1 served a man below endeavouring to fnrce open a window in Smith's book shop. When the man succeeded ho '. struck a match and looked inside. Next j thing the man did was to pass along I fo another building (the Direct Emporium), and try to force open some of ■ thp roofinET. Witness then ran for the • pelicp. and thev arrived on the sconn | within a few minutes. Witness could >■ not swear that accused wns the same ; mon that he. had observed. _ ' , | Sergeant Cassidv said that in re- ' sponse to thp. prpvious witnpss's summons ho, with Cnnotnhle Parkinson. went to the noiaMionrhood where the 1 man was seen, and shortly pftpjr thev ! discovered ncwed hidincr behind a 1 Hacking case. . He said hp. ha'l takon off 1 his boots so as not to disturb anvone. Accused pleaded tniilty- to the two ' further chare!"?, and was rommitted to ' the Supremo Court for sentence. OTHER CASES. Charles Holmes, who when arrested ! for drunkenness by Constable Jarrold > violently resisted and endeavoured to , injure the constable, was further charged with resisting a police constable in the execution of his duty. Oh the '• .charge of drunkenness he was fined £2, in default seven days' imprisonment, and on the charge of resistance fined £2, default being fixed at fourteen days' imprisonment. John Englers, a young man, was remanded to appear at Inveroargill on a oh'arge that being the father of an unborn illerdtimate child he was about to leave New Zealand, without making •adequate provision for its maintenance.