RESIDENT MAGISTRATE’S COURT.

Evening Star, Issue 3506, 19 May 1874, Page 2

RESIDENT MAGISTRATE’S COURT.

Tuesday, May 19. (Before J. Bathgate, Esq., K.M.) Drunkenness.— Samuel Barnes and William Stevens were each fined ss, with the option of forty -eight hours’ imprisonment. A Notorious Character, —The notorious Anne Sherry was charged, on the information of Constable Rooney, with being a prostitute, and with conducting herself in the Police Station, on the 17th inst., in a riotous manner.—His Wore hip : When did you come out of gaol ?—Prisoner : On Saturday- Bis Worship ; Then what were you doing in the Police Station on Sunday. Prisoner : Mr Rooney said I was wanted, and 1 walked away to the station with him as meekly as I could. Finding that I was locked up for nothing, I became obstreperous, (laughter.)-Constable Eooney said that he received information shenly after 10 o’clock on Sunday morning that a woman was misconducting herself in Princes street. He proceeded there aud saw prisoner strike a man three times, her conduct being very dis-orderly.-—His Worship here directed that the information should %be amended, so as to charge prisoner with behaving in a riotous manner in Princes street in lieu of at the Police Station.—Constable Rooney then gave evidence as to the prisoner’s character. Ranger Bain gave similar evidence.— George Coleman said prisoner tapped him across the face with her hand on Sunday morning. She behaved in a civil manner to him. (Laughter )—Prisoner r When I came down Walker street, did I speak to you, or did you address me first ?- Witness: I asked you to have a drink, and you agreed. —His Worship : Where did you obtain the liquor?— Witness : Witness: At the Newmarket Hotel.—His Worship (to Sub-In-spector Mallard): Take a note of that (Renewed laughter.) Sergeant Anderson also spoke t® the prisoper’s general character —Prisoner asked that her bank-book mi^ht be used as evidence in favor of her. HL V\ opship said if the charge had been proved, the bank book wou'd no 1 -, have saved prisoner, though she had had LI,OOO iu the bank. Before he could convict he must be satisfied in his own mind that she was a prostitute, and while he had no doubt that she was behaving in a riotous manner on the morning in question, he was unable to bring her under the Act. Seeing that she had been for three mouths in prison, was liberated on Saturday, and brought up the next day, he did not think he was justified in having

her previous convictions brought against her The charge would be dismissed, ( everal persons in Court attempted applause, which was immediately suppressed.) —L’r soner was then charged with being a rogus and vagabond.—His Worship: 1 see by her bank-book that she has Ll2 in the Dunedin Savings Bank. Anyone with mo my iu the bank has means of support.— Sub-Inspector Mallard: I think that if your Worship will examine the book, that you will tind that the money is all drawn out.— His Worship : Oh, there is another side, I was only looking at the one side of the book, (jf course there are two riles to every question. (Laughter.) The whole of the amount has been withdrawn.—lt was stated that the prisoner was apprehended on this charge on Sunday. His Worship: Then the same reasoning applies to this case. She came out of gacd on Saturday, after undergoing a three months’ sentence, and immediately after her liberation was locked-up. Now this is nob as it cannot be shown that she bus no visible means of support.-Sub-Inspector Mallard submitted that prisoner Laving been previously incarcerated, became a rogue and vagabond, under sub-section 1, section 4, of the Act.—His Worship :h o. It is provided under section 4, if a person previously convicted commits a new offence, that she can he a.aiu convicted, and then only. No new charge has been proved.— SubInspector Mallard : If your Worship adopts thut reading, it is impossible to prove anything. - His Worship: T at is the correct reading. This charge will also have to be dismissed.— Sub-Inspector Mallard : There is a charge of drunkenness. Perhaps, under the circumstances, that also had better be withdrawn. His Worship; Oh, no. This is a charge of being drunk and of disorderly manner on Sunday morning—a separate affair. Fifty previous convictions being put in, prisoner was fined 40s, or in default fourteen days 1 imprisonment with hard labor. Theft. —John Johnson, for stealing one blue-cloth jacket of the value of LI 10s from the shop-door of Charles Johnson, was sentenced to six mouths’ imprisonment with hard labor. Obscene Language.— Charles JSccleston, for using obscene Language within the hearing of persons passing iu Walker street, was fined 10s and costs. Breach of the Peace.— Anne Reid, charged on the information of Kliza Blackwood with using abusive language in St. Uidrew street, was fined 10s and costs, or in default three days’ imprisonment with hard labor.