MAGISTRATE'S COURT

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2715, 9 March 1916, Page 9

MAGISTRATE'S COURT

A BIGAMOUS MARRIAGE ALLEGED CHARCE AGAINST YOUNG MAN AND WOMAN. A bigamy case was investigated in the Magistrate's Court yesterday, before Mr. W. G. Riddell, S.M. Rhoda Randall Davidson, 26 years of age, was first charged with going through the form of marriage with Gordon Stuart Mason on January 7 last, when she was already lawfully married to James Mor- . ton Davidson, who was still living. Mr. P. W. Jackson appeared for tho accused,' and, after formal evidence for the prosecution had been (tendered, called his client to state that when she went through the form of marriage with Mason, she thought her marriage with Davidson was .void. She formed this opinion because she had been married under the name of Irving (her foster father's name), whereas her real name was Bramley. Her husband (Davidson) and a Mrs. Woolcott had told her that the marriage was on that account illegal. 1; After making this statement on oath the accused pleaded guilty, and was. committed to the Supreme Court, for sentence! She was admitted to hail in tho sum of £50, on condition that she remained in the Salvation Army Home. Subsequently, Gordon Stuart Mason, a farm labourer, 26_ years of age, made a similar explanation to a similar charge, and then pleaded guilty. Hewas likewise committed to the Supremo Court for trial. Mr. P. W. Jackson appeared for this accused also. CHARGE OF ASSAULT.

An elderly man, named Thomas Elliott, was charged with assaulting Henry Slade so as to cause him actual

bodily harm. Mr. H. F. O'Leary appeared for the accused. The charge was ' tlie outcome of an occurrence in Dixon Street on February 4 last, when Slade was sent to tho Hospital suffering from a lacerated wound in tho left arm. Yostorday, Slade declared that Elliott had inflicted the wound with a razor, am! wUjjiout provocation. Tho evidcnco oi' tho Hospital doctor was to tlio effect" iliat tho wound could not- have been inflicted with' a razor, but was more likely received in a fall on a Tiroken bottle. Slade was suffering from*" the effects of drink when admitted to the Hospital. After evidence had been tendered by two other witnesses, who did not lend support to the story told by Blade, Mr. O'Leary submitted that tliero was no caso for his client to . answer. The Magistrate was of opinion that the caso was too weak to be sent on to a jury, and tho information was accordingly dismissed. SEAMEN IN TROUBLE. Tbreo members of the crew of tho steamer Delphic were placed in the dock together. Lijwrcnco Burgess was charged with drunkonness; and with deserting from his ship, James Fitzgerald 'was charged with desertion, and James Millar with abseuting himself from the vessel without leave. All three pleaded guilty, and both Burgess and Millar intimated that they would rather undergo tho maximum term of imprisonment than be returned to their vessel. "I'll iix tho/sentence," was the Magistrate's remark. Burgess and FitzgeraM wore sentenced to seven days' imprisonment, and Millar to forty-eight hours' imprisonment. Tho accused were ortle'red to pay the costs of tho proceedings, and to he returned to tho vessel if she left New Zealand before tho expiry of the sentences. Later in the day, Robert Hughes, another member of the Delphic's crew, was sentenced to twenty-four hours' imprisonment for disobeying the lawful commands of the second engineer. Accused was ordered t'o W- plsec'd aboard the vessel beforo she sailed. BROKEN BY-LAW AND BAD LANGUAGE. For using obscene language, Thomas Reeves was fined 405., with costs and expenses totalling 15s. Default was fixed at seven days' imprisonment. Tile same accused was convicted of throwing paper into the harbour, in contravention of tho Wellington Harbour Board's by-laws. Tho Magistrate remarked that it was probable that tho by-law was very little known, and it would be sufficient on this occasion if tho defendant were ordered to pay tho Court costs connected with tho case. OTHER CASES. Richard James Webster was charged with keeping a brothel in Clayton Avenue, off Abel Smith Street and Ethel Towner was chargcd with assisting in t-lio management thereof. Both were remanded until Monday next, Webster 'being' admitted to bail in the' sum of £SO, and one surety of £80, and Towner in the sum of £50 and one surety of. £50. Mr. P. W. Jacksoil appeared for Towner. Persons convicted of drunkenness were penalised as follow: —Edith Potter, fined 55., with the option of twenty-four hours' imprisonment; Roderick Mathieson, 10s., or forty-eight hours' imprisonment; Thomas Nicholson, 10s., or forty-eight- hours' imprisonment ; Charles William Hill, 10s., .or fortyeight hours* imprisonment.