RESIDENT MAGISTRATE'S COURT, CLYDE.

Dunstan Times, Issue 976, 31 December 1880, Page 3

RESIDENT MAGISTRATE'S COURT, CLYDE.

(Before Jackson Keddell, Esq , R. M.) Friday, December 24th, 1830. Alexander M’L*od, a shepherd, in r.he employ of Messrs M’Laren and Turnbull, Moutere Station y was charged on information, with woun nog and maiming a cow, the propci ty Oi Jam s M’Artliur, farmer, of Wai Keri K ni Valley. Ml- Rowlato (Solicitor), appeared for the accused. J lines M‘ Arthur sworn, depis id,— Am a farmer, have a farm in Wai Ken Ke i Val ey. also a farm on Moutere run. 1 ..in the owner of a number of cattle. On the 15th msc. one of th cows came homo wilt a gnu shot wound, bearing tlie mirks of 42 shot I su-cepted accused and aucmliiiLdy k. On the morning of the 21s'. inst. 1 cam from my farm on M urere run to the Wai Keri Keri farm It, was between 2 and o’clock. I saw some ot mv cattle grazing towards the but of ac cosed, which is situated about a chain from my home Pairy fence. 1 planted mys-lf in the creek about two chains from the hut of accused opposite the door. Whilst there two of mv cows grazed close up to the f'-jnt of the hut. The .mgs barked, and the cows turned back tow ir is my own ground. About four minutes af'er the boor of the hut upen d, and accused appeared in the door-way with a gun in his hand. He was undressed, having his shirt on. He pointed the gnu towards the cows, and fired. He then went into the hut, not closing th ‘door. 1 went to see if the cows were wounded, I foun 1 one of the cows wounded in ’he pastern joint of the off fore leg. 1 went towards the lint a few yards, and called out, “ M'Leod.” “Hdln, ’ ; says he, 11 What’s up ?’’ I said “ I have ' b‘-eu watching you some time, and have caught you at last,” With that, 1 came into the police, and laid the information. I saw M’Leod wh it he sang out “ Hallo ” The cow was about 18 yards from the ’rout of the hut when accused shot her. On re turning home.after laying the informal ion, 1 examined the C’ttle, and found the cmv which was wounded on the 15th inst., was wounded in the belly. It "1013 one of the two referred to by me as having grazed close up to the hut. I pointed out the wounded cows to the Sergeant of Police (O’Neil) i have known the accused for the past two years, but since July last have nut been on friendly terms with him. Before the gun was fired on the morning of the2lst I did not notice any hawks living l. Sergeant O'Neill Rep -se 1 to the arrest of acnis. d, and to the seizing of two shot belts in accused’s hut, each containing a f<*w shots ; also exlrac log a shot from the wmtitde I, and which, on weighing, was f and m correspond exactly in weight with th ■ sh >t in the belts. Mr Rnwla'e, in defence, sail his client di l net deny firing the shot, hut ho ,distincly denied that it. was fired at t he 0 i"s His client ha 1 a large number of poultry, and 'bo shot was ti ’el at a hawk. The Bench, thinking that a prhm facin, case hal boon male out. commitied aeon-e I for tr al at the next Criminal Sitings at Dune Hn Accuse I, who reserve I his de fence, was allowed bail in his own rec-og-inzmoe of LOO and two sureties of L3O each.