SUPREME COURT

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 193, 11 May 1920, Page 3

SUPREME COURT

criminal Sessions HEAVIER CALENDAR THAN USUAL ~ The criminal session of the Supremo ,[ Court opened yesterday morning, -when „ the calendar presented was heavier than usual and contained some serious | charges. His, Honour Mr. Justico Herdman ' The following compose .the Grand Jury: Mr. George Frcst (foroman), Messrs. J. M. Dawson, \V. Lark.n, J. |- B. Keid, li. M. W. Brownrigg, W. a Mountjoy W. 11. Itudman, ,G. R. I. Hutcheson, E. W, A. Kcllow, J. V. il Tunibull..J. M'intosh, S.'G. Cowles, G. » S. Miriams, W.' G. Eraser, G., Finn, t Arthur Young, W. A. Kellow, J. E. Frail' they. W. Miller, W. G. Young, A. S. t Mitchel', W. E. Harvey,' and J. S. f Maeartliur. t In'his address to the Grand. Jury His i Honour said ho regretted that it would - be thei'' business to consider a large i. number of charges. Some of the n offences were serious, but he did not 9 thi ak they would have any difficulty in e finding true bills in every case. Tho - most serious' chargo was one of nian- - slaughter. o After the common jury had been t sworn, Mr. Arthur Fair applied for an 1. order, that Alfred Abcn should not bo i arraigned under section 37 of the Crimes - A:t. Mr. Fair submitted that the i only evidence, before the Court was as - to the theft of boots, and that, there v,-« nothing as to breaking and entert ing. ( . i • Hi|? . IHionjaur ' said that (the Grand s Jury would consider the matter, and if ■ they returned a true bill he would not prevent the ease from going to the . common; jury. Quilligan Not' 1 Guilty. ' Den : s Quilligan, a seaman, was placed [ on trial on a charge of breaking and entering the premises of Mathewson's, Ltd., Lambton Quay, and stealing therefrom a number of -blouses, ...furs, sports coats, and: skirts of a total value of -. JS2II 35..; There was a second count ' .of receiving stolen goods. Mr. P. S.' K. Macassey appeared for ■ the Crown arid Mr'i' H. E. O'Leary for the prisoner. Mr. Frank E. Bowden was foreman ' of the jury. ; Mr. Macassey, in opening, said that the prisoner sold certain goods to a' man named Jenkins. These goods the prisoner said he had obtained from a man named Morgan, who was also indicted at'the present session and. would giro evidence for the Crown. Mrs. • Mathewson gave formal evidenro of' the theft of goods, and identified some of the- goods produced in Court. ' . . Thomhn J.. Jenkins, motor salesman, Kent Terrace, said he hafl known the accused:. sinco 1909. Some time in March last, witness bought a set of furs • from the prisoner for The accused said he had obtained the goods ■ while on a trip to San Francisco. A . weojc later' witness bought three furs and a sports coat for ,£l4 from the accused; On March 11, witness _ pur- . chased two more furs from Quilligan for ill. Accused' said in_ answer to inquiries that he had obtained these | "from some of the boys," which witness took to mean that he had got them from seamen, .- . • John Henry .Morgan,- a waterside worker, said that in February lie was living at Whitehall boardinghouse, and had known accused for about 18 months. Accused visited him at Whitehall twice. Witness denied that Quilligan had any conversation with him about selling furs. He 'denied- that he ha'd ever given Quilligan anything to sell, or that he had ever received any mouiy from Quilligan. '. Detective /Holmes gave evidence similar' lb that-which he had given ;in tho lower Court.,' . Tno defence was' that Quilligan obtained, the goods from Morgan, for disposal. '''The'accused';had three'transactiois with Jenkins. He sold to Jenkins ioi £& a set of furs which he (Quilligai') bud obtained in Auckland. Those furs Mrs Mathewson had said did not come out of her stock, and in respect to theni there was no charge agaiust the accused. Tlie accused gave evidence that tho ■fiU's' and other goods sold by him to Jenkins wero obtained from Morgan. He hail made a similar statement to the poli:e, and" had helped the detectives to .locate Morgan. > -.'-'Captain V, E. Johansen, superintendent for the South Taranaki Steam Ship Company, said he had known tho accused. fo- five years, and had always found him honest and trustworthy, The jury retired at 4 p.m., and an hour nnd a quarter Inter returned with a verdict of not guilty. The prisoner was' discharged. . Tragedy on the Armagh, Benjamin ■H. Plight] was charged with the manslaughter of Robert M'Nab on board the s;s. Armagh. There was «g,iin«t him a second-count of assaulting, the said M'Nab. Mr. P. S. K. Macassey appeared for the Crown, and Mr. A. B. Sievwright for tlii prisoner. Mr. M. A. Brady was foreman of the jury. 'the Crown alleged that on March 23, in\tho course of a quarrel aboard the Armagh. Bright knocked M'Nab down and. kicked him three times about the body. M'Nab died on the spot. The defence was that death was not . due to a blow or to kicks, but to quite natur.tl. causes. The ease was adioumed until this morning, when -His Honour will sum UP-- i