LAW REPORTS

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2537, 11 August 1915, Page 9

LAW REPORTS

SUPREME COURT

COUNTRY MAN ROBBED

NOT USED TO CITY WAYS

The criminal sittings of the Supremo Court were continued yesterday, boforo His Honour the Chief Justice (Sir Robert Stout). Mr. V. It. Meredith prosecuted for tlio Crown.

■Victimisation of a man from the country was alleged in the case in which Jcrcania'h Kirby was charged that on June 1 last, at Wellington, ho committed theft of a purse containing £1 10s., the property of.Leslie Gaivlor. Accused pleaded not guilty. Ho was represented by Mr. D. E. Hoggard, Outlining t'he caso Mr. Meredith said that accused and another man accosted complainant near tho 'lYocadcro Hotel, on the night of June 1. To gain acquaintance they asked him whether ho had come from Timaru or Gisborne, and -then ono of tho men said that lie was from tho country also. They apparently realised that complainant was a man from the country. An application was made for-tho'loan of Is., but this was refused. The men had been crowding near to complainant, and when they left he found that his pocket had been, out, and his purso taken. Ho gave chase and caught accused's mate, but let him go, and gave ohaseto accused. The assistance of a constable was sought, and accused was caught on tho .Wharf, The purse was, not on him then. Complainant gave ovidehce that he lived 1G miles the other side of I'alniers.ton North. When the men accosted liini they asked lioiv lie was getting on. They .then asked for a cigarette, and he gave oile to each.' The next application was for the price of a' bed, but £his was refused. Accused's mate was tapping him oil the clothes while they were talking, and accused had hold of his coat.. He never • lost sig'ht of accused, till he was arrested. Ho was not used to city ways.

Acoused gave evidence that he had only ceased work two or three days before,lie was arrested. He had made arrangements to join the s.s. Ruapehu, after, having been refused admittance to tlio Now Zealand Forces; on account of liis bad teeth. He detailed liis movement's on the night : of' June 1, and denied having been in La-mbton Quay. He had never seen Ga-wlor before ho was arrested.. He said that while lie was standing near the. wliarves he saw two men running past, one towards Lambton-:Quay, andt'ho other down .tho . wharves. '■ : ' : . Tlie -jury brought in a verdict, of guilty. Accused was remanded till. Saturday for" sentence.

'A' YOUNG MAN'S LAPSE. A young man named Harold Hading Howell pleaded guilty, to charges of forging and uttering a cheque for £16 95., drawn on the National Bank, and to having obtained tho sum of £4 by means' of false pretences. His Honour said that lie was sorry to see such a young man in accused's position. He would be remanded for sentence till Saturday.'

AN INDECENT. OFFENCE. / Two charges of alleged . indecency, bearing on tlio ono occurrence, were levelled against Tlios. Albert Rafter, a mail of about thirty years-of ago. Accused was represented by. Mr. •H. F. O'Lear.v, and.he pleaded, not.guilty. -The.'evidence for the prosecution rested on the testimony of two little girls, and tho Court was cleared during the hearing of the oase. The offenco was alleged to have been committed in Ohiro Road. After a retirement of li'al-f- aii. hour tho jijry returned with' a. verdict of guilty. Accused was' remanded till Saturday for sentence., ''