A SAD STORY.

Evening Post, Issue 195, 22 September 1865, Page 2

A SAD STORY.

Charles Bellow, a soldier belonging to the 14th Regiraont, was brought before the Resident Magistrate, Auckland, charged with horse stealing. The case is thus reported in i the New Zealand Herald : — '!;> John Wrigley, deposed : I am a storekeeper residing at Niwraarket. I have seen a horse, saddle and bridle outside the Court this morning. They are my property. The horse was fastened on Wednesday evening last to my verandah. It was saddled and bridled as it is now. The horse was taken away. It was missing soon after it was tied up. The value of the horse, saddle, and bridle, is about £12. The prisoner declined to ask any questions. William Hogg, deposed: I am a toll collector at Newmarket. I know the prisoner. I remember Wednesday evening last about 8 o'clock. 1 was on duty at the toll gate. I saw the prisoner about that time. He was riding through the toll bar on the pony the property of Mr. Wrigley. That pony is how outside the Court house in the possession of the police. I knew the pony was the*property of Mr. Wrigley, and I asked the prisoner where he got him. The prisoner said he belonged to the Land Transport Corps and was going to Otahuhu. I detained the pony and the prisoner, but he escaped from me. I got on the pony and followed him. I seized him and gave him in charge of the police. Tom Wriijlfty, a little boy eleven years of age, son to the first witness, said he tied the pony to the post of the verandah of his father's house ; that it was taken away i

that he afterwards received it from the fitness Hogg. He identified the pony. Constable Charles Clark deposed to taking the prisoner Into custody upon a charge of horse-stealing. The prisoner Jaid be was drunk, and did not know what he was doing. The prisoner declined to ask any question. He said he knew nothing about the charge. He had been twelve years in the service, and had never before been in a prison, except once for being drunk. He did not know what he was doing . The Commissioner of Police informed hia Worship that the prisoner had himself only a short time previously been a prosecutor in that court, in a case against another peroon, for the v«-ry offence of which he now stood charged. That he was then Quartermaster's sergeant. His WoPßhip (addressing the prisoner) : I am informed that some time ago you yourself prosecuted certain parties upon this very charge, for which you yourself are placed in the dock, of horse-stealing. I see you have two medals and one good conduct stripe. Then you had four stripes on your arm, and were Quartermaster's sergeant— the highest office that a non-commissioned officer can hold. You have not those stripes T The prisoner (whose eyes filled with tears) : No ; I have lost them all. I believe it was through the fatal curse of drink. I hope you will be as lenient as you can. His Worship : It is out of my power in a case of this kind. I must commit you to take your trial at the Supreme Court.