MAGISTRATE'S COURT

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2876, 14 September 1916, Page 9

MAGISTRATE'S COURT

CHARGE OF BAG-SNATCHING

Mr. W. G. Riddell, S.M., .presided at the Magistrate's Court yesterday. Thomas Bidout was charged that on August 5 he did steal a handbag containing fiv.o boys and a purse, in -which there wis -255., from tho person of Margaret Elizabeth Kennedy. Inspector Hendrey prosecuted, and accused was not represented by counsel.

According io the evidence of. the complainant, she and her sister were on Mount Victoria on the day in question, and were walking tip the hill, when they observed accused ooming towards them. When ho got near ■witness he snatched tier bag and made off iii the direction of the plantation. Witness and her sister called out in the hope that there might he people about. Very soon about half a dozen persons appeared, including a man who went after the accused. The plantation was searched, and the handbagtvas found, but the purse and the money it contained had disappeared. Corroborative evidence was given by Grace Kennedy, sister of the complainant, and John Palmer, who chased tho accused.' Ridout pleaded not guilty, and was committed to the Supreme Court for trial; Bail was allowed in £100 and one surety of £100. CHARGE OF FORGERY. A plea of guilty was entered by Ernest James Wilson, who was charged with forging the namo of James Williams to acheque for £34 drawn on the Bank of New Zealand, Te Aro branch, and uttering the same to A. E.. Trueman." Chief-Detective, Boddam conducted the prosocution. According to the story told in Court, the accused, who was in the uniform of a lieutenant, visited the Albion Hotel, and. while there obtained a blank cheque on the Bank of New, Zealand from a carrier who was at the time paying a cheque lo another man. Accused gave his name as Lieutenant Wilson. Later he went into the shop of Stowart Dawson on Lamb ton Quay, and asked to be shown some diamond engagement rings. Accused eventually selected a ring worth £18 10s., and also two hair-combs for ladies, worth £1, and tendered' in payment a cheque for £34 drawn on the Bank of Now Zealand, Te Aro, and which was identified as the cheque obtained in the Albion Hotel. The salesman in Stowart Dawson declined to cash the cheque, when acoused said it was quite safe for as many hundred. He gave his name 'as Lieutenant Ernest J. Williams, and his address as c/o Colonel Robin, Trentham. Tho cheque was finally cashed, and accused loft the shop with the goods and £14 10s. in cash. Tho cheque was sent to tho bank the next day, and returned with the endorsement that the account had been closed. The ledgerkeeper of the Bank of New Zealand, To Aro, gave details of tho opening of an account by James Williams in tho early part of the year, and of its being closed a month or two ago. Accused was committed to the Supremo Court for sentence. FALSE DECLARATION. David Bertie, alias Beatton, for whom Mr. T. S. Weston appeared, pleaded guilty to knowingly and wilfully making a, false_ declaration for tho purpose of obtaining a registration of marriage.

It appeared from the evidence that accused, who is a married man (his wife and two children residing in Canada), arrived in New Zealand in July, and mot a widow and married her, making tho false declaration for tho purpose. When arrested, lie mado a frank statement of the facts without any pressure whatever.-

Acoused was committed to tho Supremo Court for sentence, hail being allowed in his own recognisance of £50, and ho is to report himself at Mount Cook Police Station every day between 6 and 7 p.m.

REMANDED. Remands for a week were granted in the following cases: James Alexander Robertson, charged with the theft of tins of fat and two bags ofchaff : Thomas Francis M'Millan, charged with obtaining £8 from Elsie Ranson by means of false pretences (bail was fixed at £100 and one surety of £100); Victory Reginald Haslem, alleged attempt to commit a serious- offence on a male (bail £100 and one surety of £100); Charles Roddy, charged with unlawfully assaulting Pearl Blair so as to cause her actual bodily harm. OTHER CASES. For insobriety, six first offenders were convicted and discharged. Peter Petersen, with a previous conviction, was fined 10s.', in default 48 hours'' imprisonment. Mary Irene Williams pleaded guilty to entering the bar of the Cricketers' Arms Hotel after G p.m. on Tuesday, contrary to tho war regulations, and was fined os., with the option of 24 hours' imprisonment. William Wilson, for using obscene language, was fined 605., default being fixed at 14 day 6' imprisonment. A charge of assault brought against G. C. Facho by Mrs. Mary Fabian, also a claim for £39 16s. for board, etc., taken, together, occupied the Court the whole of yesterday afternoon, and was adjourned to Saturday. Mr. 0. S. Mazengarb appeared for plaintiff, and Mr. Morrison for defendant.