MAYOR'S COURT.

Evening Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2306, 27 September 1870, Page 2

MAYOR'S COURT.

This Day. (Before his Worship the Mayor, and..George Broclie, Esq., J.P.) THEFT. John Fulton was charged with stealing a purse, containing LI 4s (id, from the person of one William Batteu. It appeared from the evidence that the prisoner, prosecutor, and a man named Johnson, had been working together on board one of the coal lighters now lying alongside Stuart street jetty. Yesterday afternoon they got drinking together at the Supreme Court Hotel, aud eventually found their way to Batten’s house, all in a semi-intoxicated state There prisoner declared he had no money, and told Johnson he would try and see what he could get of Batten, who was then lying down. He went into the bedroom, and returned with some bread and cheese, and Johnson, to whom he said he had not been able to get any money, noticed he also had a purse. Johnson went in and woke Batten, informing him of that fact. Batten then discovered the loss of his purse, which contained two half-sovereigns and 4s 6d in silver. Prisoner declared he had not taken it, and that he only possessed half-a-crown, which he produced, and at once broke open a box belonging to Johnson, scattering the contents ou the floor. The three men then went out together, visiting several public-houses, Johnson and Batten returned to the latter’s house without the prisoner, and ou the former replacing his things in his box, he discovered the purse, minus its contents. They then hunted up the prisoner, and found him drinking with some girls at the Clyde Hotel. When they entered the hotel, he told the barman not to “ let ou ’ to the other men that he had any money—a fact he did not wish them to be acquainted with. He called for drinks, slipping into the barman’s hand a half-sovereign, and receiving, in accordance with his request, the change when the others wore not present Subsequently prosecutor charged him with the theft whereupon he assaulted him and Johnson, and was then arrested. He now denied all knowledge of yesterday’s occurrences. A man named Kane stepped from the body of the Court “ to tell what ho had seen,*' but his evidence had no hearing upon the case, and was confined to the belief “ that the prisoner could not have done such a thing.” Some questions by the Commissioner of Police as to whether he had not been “in trouble” him-elf, vexed hi i; sorely; and to them he at first returned evasive answers, such as —“ That’s your place to find out ! ” “ You’re a Crown prosecutor, ara’t yer, but you don’t”- He did not proceed further with the discussion, but excitedly denied having been “ in trouble.” It was, however, stated that he was well known to the police. The Bench considered the charge proved, and sentence I the prisoner to a month’s imprisonment, with hard labor. BREACH OF THE BYE-LAWS. Scimne! M'Connsll was lined 40s and costs for allowing a horse to wander.