MAGISTRATE'S COURT

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3152, 2 August 1917, Page 11

MAGISTRATE'S COURT

INDICTABLE AND OTHER ■-.; CASES;. ■■•.. _;■'_! Mr. W.'G.RiddelliS.Sl., presided at the Magistrate's-Court yesterday. Percy Charles Tite, for whom Mr. T. Jl. Wilford. appeared, was charged that between August 8 aud November G, 191G, lie did commit theft of .£37 lis. Bd., tiro property of the- New Zealand Government; According to the evidence given, accused was. a sergeant in the New Zealand' Expeditionary Force, and- retoiieil to the- Dominion on'. August 8, 1910. -Heproduced his-pay book to the Pay Branch of- tho Defence Department, in which wove shown tho difforont payments mado to accused. Between November i, liUSi and May 5, 1916, there, were'iid'paymonts shown, ami .ns a,result between, August 8. 1916, and November G, 1916, accused was paid „C 37 lis.' I)d., for which receipts, wero given. It was discovered afterwards that accused's account was oyer--drawn, and he was-written to- oirJnno 13 of this Ve'ar pointing out that ho hadbeeiv overpaid and asking what proposals he had to make- for repayment, . rite called at the office, and-his account was. shown-to him; he 'admitted- received tho money; it was-arranged- that he should call at the'office' a few days later to see tho receipts. Ho camo in as arranged, and he was then mlormod ot tho existence -of another, pay-book, lie admitted this and said it was only, a provisional -pay-book. .-Between. -November 15, 1915,' and June. 16; 1910, accused was 1 in "hospital at Malta, and there received tho second pay-book, ino. original pay-book ,■ showed accuseds pay to bo 7s. a day, 4s. feeing'-allotted and 3s. retained. No. 2 pay-book showed the pay as 7s. per day, but no allotment. During the six months accused was in hospital at Malta he received £(1, .or at tho rate of 7s. a day. On returning to New Zealand accused presented No. I, or the original, pay-book, which purport-;, cd 'to show that no payments were pado between November, 19.15, and June, 191G, whereas according to the eecond paybook ,£7l was alleged to have been paid to accused, and as a result ..£37 Us. 9d. was alleged to have been overpaid-to him on his roturn to Now Zealand. Accused pleaded not guilty, -and was committed to the Supreme Court for trial.

FORGING A "CHEQUE.

. William &*olcs pleaded guilty to forging a cheque tor J3 125.: by signing the name of Charles Baker to same, ami causing Marie Galloway to act upon it as it' it wore genuine. He was committed to 'the Supreme Court for sentence. - ' Another chargo preferred against Jnm was of obtaining, credit for 85s. by means of fraud. It appears that on Jiily U, accused engaged, a taxi and drovo to eoveral parts in the city, keeping the car and driver .(Georgo Edward Hpgan emploved.for 2i hours. He was. told the chaYge would bo 355., and then was driven, to tho place where he was 'Staying in Bidwill -Street.: When nearing the btrcot ho informed tho- driver that the street was very steop, and it would be inadvisable to tako the car up,- but naked the driver to follow ,l»m.- • When they reached the house accused went in, and after a little while came out and said his mother was not in, and lie r.ad not sufficient money on him. Ho gave tho name- of Moore, representing mmselt to bo the son of Mrs. Mooro, of Bidwill Street. It was nriunged that he el onld nuv the money next day, but this no tailed to do, and was arrested by Detective Cox on July 27. Ho mado a coinpleto confession to tho detective, and pleaded gnilly in court. He was committed to tho Supreme Court for sentence. GUILTY OF BIGAMY.

Sarah Ami Cassin, -pleaded guilty to the charge that on October 13, 1915, last, being already married, she did go .through a form of inarriago with a soldier. According 'to tho , ovidence, accused was married to Charles Frederick - assin in ISO 7, and on October 13, 1015, she married the soldier. The certificates of both marriages wero produced. Tho soldier, went to tho front and died from the Directs of wounds on August 11, 1916. Accused later put in an application lor a war pension, and was awarded 255. a week. Accused, for whom Mr. H. (. O'Leary appeared, 'was.committed to the Supreme Court -for Bentence.

ALLEGED .BLACKMAIL.. "■ Herbert "William Cough'was charged with oil or about' July 16 attempting to extort .£3O from Alioe laughton by threatening to acouse her of an offence. Mr, l\ W. Jackson, appeared for accused. According lo the evideaco, acousod, who is about 21 years,of ago, residing at 25 (Joromandel Street, wrote three letters to Mrs. Laughton, 31 Coromandel Street, demanding the amount named under .threat •• of. accusing her of a certain offence. The matter tor reported, and noting on the advice .o£ the polieo, Mrs. L'augnton placed a note at tho spot indicated in tlfo threatening letter, lwccoustablcs kept waloh, aud saw accused pass Aft spot and finally snatch up tho letter and run away. Ho was followed and arrested in Mein Street, near tho Town Belt. When searched the letter was not found on him, but on examining tho street thoro was found two pieces of paper which .wcro idontifiod as part ortHo Jotter taken from Laughton s, and ovenfually accused said ho throw the lettor over tlio fence where it was found. Wlion ncousod of blackmailing Mrs. Laughton ho said. ho did it for the excitement of the thing. Ho made a statement civine details of the whole affair. AmubmL pleaded not guilty, and was oommX to the Supremo Court for trial. Sough was further charged that, on May 17 with intent to commit a crime, ■ft diff attompt to cause a young woman to be affected by ohloroformor some other stupefying thing; also with assaulting thoyoung woman, the two charges wore taken togother. According to tho ovidonoc, tho young woman in question was on the town Bolt near Mein Street waiting. for ,her father coming'from tho patent slip. While thoro sho was spokon to by.aroused, who asked fier if sho would like- some mushrooms. Slia said no, unless ho gave them to her at once. Ho then caught hold of liar' dog aiid tried to catch hold ot hor, but sho dodged him and ran away. Tho accused followed her and caught her when sho tripped over a shrub. Sue

began to oTy, and ho (old hor not to cry as she would not bo hurt. She hoard a noise iilto somothing in u bottlo being shaken, and presently accused tried to put something down her mouth. She thought it was chloroform, bcuauso sho recognised the smell, having had. chloroTiTnn administered whon sho was operated upon. 'Sho managed in got away eventually, and ran to a iJdfi*r's house and informed them tnofo'of what had happened. Accused pleaded not guilty, and was committed to the Supremo Court for trial. ■ i "Tiro Magistrate suggested that Gougli sboiM bo medicnlly examined as to his mental condition. OTHER CASES. Some sordid details wore disclosed in tho case in which William Charles Auv bre'y was, charged with assaulting Bella Graham by striking her on tho ■ faco with" a" bottle. Mr. P. AV. Jackson appeared for accused. Tho parties lived together, and one 'evening a quarrol developed, in which bottlos and glasses woro used as missiles. Accused was conviotcd and sentenced to a month's imprisonment. ' George William Jackson, convicted of committing a grossly indecent act in Canibfjdge Terrace, was fined £3, in default l'l days' imprisonment; for drunkonness ho was convicted and discharged. William Stevens, convicted of lesisting a constable while in the excoution of his duty, was fined 405., in default seven days' imprisonment, and was convicted and discharged for drunkenness. The information against Margaret Florence Slogan of attempting to commit suicido was dismissed, as witnesses failed to appear. Tor insobriety, two first offenders were cielilt with in the usual lenient manner.