MAGISTRATE'S COURT

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3040, 29 March 1917, Page 9

MAGISTRATE'S COURT

SEVERAL CASES OF THEFT Mr. L. G. Reid, S.M., presided at the Magistrate's Court yesterday. There were a fair number of indictable eases heard. An elderly man jiamed Cesiro Pieratti, charged with committing an indecont act, was convicted and discharged. For loitering in the street for immoral purposes contrary to the War Regulations, Eva- Grell, an old offender, was sentenced to two months' impriconmont. SOLDIERS IN COURT. Ernest. Samuel French, a gunner, pleaded guilty to theft of brass bearings, valued at £2, tho property of the Defence Department. DetectiveSergeant Cox, who prosecuted, stated that accused had been a, gunner at Fort Dorse); for tho past six months. When tho brass bearings were missed, accused, who was questioned, admitted having stolen them, and stated that ho had sold them to a dealer for 17s. Gd. Accused had previously been of good character. A fino of £2 was imposed, and accused was further ordered to pay 225. 6d. to mako up tho value of the bearings. Theft of an overcoat valued at £2 2s. 6d., tho property of the Now Zealand Government; was the chargo preferred against a soldier named Albert Saunders. According to the story of accused, a. mate of his in tho Twentythird Reinforcements whoso nanio he did not know told him ho had lost his overcoat from the Pier Hotel. Saunders went to the hotel, saw a coat' that ho thought to. bo his mate's, and took it home with him, when he discovered that : the coat had no name inside it. A policeman soon afterwards, approached him, and he told him of tho circumstances. 'The evidence of tho hotel proprietor and the constable who effected the arrest was slightly' different. Saunders was convicted, and as there was a previous conviction against him of theft ho was fined 405., in default seven days' imprisonment. .;. THEFT FROM A-STEAMER! Thomas W. Qillard, seaman on a Homo liner, was charged with tho theft of a wallef containing surgical instruments, also with tho theflf'tff a pair, of binoculars, the property of the Shaw, Savill, and Albion Company. Ac.cording to the : evideiice given while tho vessel was at Auckland, tho dispensary was broken open and the surgical instruments stolen. The binoculars had disappeared some "■ timo previously. When the vessel was at Nelson a search was made of accused's bunk, and tho missing goods were' fcmnd there. Hie accused was convicted, and as tho chief officer stated that tho man was not required on the vessel, ho was sen•teneed to , a month's imprisonment. THEFT OF JEWELLERY.. '

Charles Walker, alias Ronald Durrant, was charged with the theft of jewellery, the property of Phyllis L. St. Hill, of Takapam, Hawko's Bay. [t was stated in- evidenco that "3liss St. Hill came to Wellington on a short holiday in November last, and stayed at the Empire Hotel, where tho accused was employed. When packing her suit-case' tor the roturn. journoy she discovered her lose, and reported the matter.'Subsequently two rings belonging to Miss St. Hill were found in a, pawnbroker's. The rings had been sold to the 'pawnbroker by the accused. Accused eventually pleaded guilty, and was committed to the Supreme Court for sentence-.

STEALING' TOBACCO. .■■' A young- carter named .William Arthur Baillio was charged with tho theft of a casd of tobacco, valued at about £50, from the Harbour Board bond store. The tobacco was missed last Thursday. Baillio had been in tho bond storo,. and loaded flvo cases of brandy ,011 to his lorry., Earlier in. the day accused was. seen- to bo examining thot case which was eventually niissed, and suspicion therefore, fell Tipon him. Detective Carnoj was-detailed to ■inquiro into the matter, and later arrested Baillie and' a hairdresser and tobacconist named James Cooper, of Adelaide Road. , Tho detective charged Baillio with, stealing 1731b. of tobacco, 'and Cooper with receiving the tobacco knowing tho same to have been stolen. Baillie, when arrested, ■• inado a statement admitting the theft., He sent tho stolen tobacco on to Cooper, having requested another carter to do him the favour of delivering it to Cooper. Tho latter had said he would givo him £5 or £6 for it!. Cooper told' him ho had broken up the oaso and burned it.. Detective. Oarneyy who arrested tho accused and who read the statement mado by Baillie, said that apart from tho present charge he knew nothing against Baillio, who was in his opinion a steady, decent young fellow. Mr. P. W. Jackson, appeared for accused, who ploaded guilty, and was committed to tlio Supreme Court for sentence. Bail was allowed in £50 and one- surety for a similar amount. Mr. H. F. O'Leary appeared' for James Cooper, hairdresser and tobacconist,, who was chargod with - receiving a caso of tobacco from Baillio knowing tho samo to havo been stolen. The accused pleaded guilty, and was /committed' to tho Supremo Court for sentence. Bail was allowed in £50 and I' quo surety for a , - similar amount. ■.' INDECENT ASSAULT. A charge.of indecent assault on.' a littlo girl of undor ;fiye .years of ago was . preferred against Arthur Henry Woods, who was not represented by counsel. Inspector Marsack prosecuted. The accused was committed to tho Supremo Court for trial... Tho Magistrate congratulated a lady who took a prominent part in having accused brought before the Court, and who gavo evidence, on her publicspirited aotion. THEFT OF A BULLDOG. William Nicholas Marsh failed to appear to answer a chargo of theft, of a bulldog from Daphno Uarolino George. Inspector Marsack stated that a summons had been served on Marsh.

According to the evidenco given, the dog in question was left in chargo of a person in '.Wellington, from whom it was stolen, and later found in the possession, of a man named Jones, who stated that his son had bought tho "mastiff" from Marsh for £5. The Magistrate convicted and sentenced Marsh to seven days' imprison-. ment, and ordered the dog to be returned to its rightful owner.