RESIDENT MAGISTRATE’S COURT.

Evening Star, Issue 3519, 3 June 1874, Page 2

RESIDENT MAGISTRATE’S COURT.

Wednesday, June 3. {Before J. Bathgate, Esq., E.M.) ~ —Catherine Paul, who was discharged, on the previous day, was now charged with being drunk on the previous night. Prisoner said that she was unwell, and was not drunk.—Sub-Inspector Mallard : khe was taken to the Hospital by the police, as she alleged that she had had a fit; but Dr Yates said there was nothing the matter with her, and that she was beastly drunk, and refused her admission.--His Worship gave her another chance by discharging her with a caution.—John Crossman, also charged with drunkenness, admitted the offence. His Worship; You are a married man, and I have strong reasons to believe that you illtreat your wife.—Defendant : That has nothing to do with the present case. lam charged with drunkenness.—His Worship ; I will just tell you what I think of such a man. He is guilty of perjury, sines he has sworn before God to protect the woman he takes to his home as his wife. To a man of education I know of no moro degrading crime; for I can call it nothing else than that; so you just accept that as a caution, i have very good authoiity for what I say. You are fined 20s, or in default three days’ imprisonment. CIVIL CASES. Joel v. Brensfell—Claim LV for beer supplied.—Judgment was given herein by default for plaintiff, with costs.

TT«gg v. Williams. -This was a fraud summens, defendant not having satisfied a judgment of L2 lls 4d given against him in this Court. An order was made for the payment of 5s per fortnight. Trapskey v. Steadman.—This was a claim for LSO, for injuries sustained by plaintiff by a coach accident on the sth, January- Mr Stout for plaintiff and Mr Barton for defendant, who pleaded not guilty and all other possible pleas. —Mr Stout then stated the facts. He said that Mrs Steadman was the proprietress of a coach running between the Taieri and Dunedin. Plaintiff went in her coach on the day of the accident and paid his fare to the coachman. When the coach was going down an incline, the break being utterly useless, the coachman, in order to make up for the 1 -ss of it, went on the wrong side of the road so as to keep his wheels off the hard metaL - Going down this way the coach struck a stone, by which the poles were broken,, causing the coach to upset, whereby plafintiff sustained severe injuries, If these facta were proved, he thought plaintiff was entitled to the full amount claimed, seeing he had not sued for his full loss occasioned by the accident.—Henry Tapsdey, the plaintiff, said that on the day in question he got into defendant’s coach at the Springbank Hotel on the East Taieri road. The coach was going to Dunedin, and he paid his fare to the driver. In coming down the hill from Lookout Point the coachman Kept on the wrong, side of the road and went on to ths soft ground, as his break was not good. In doing this he went into the gutter and the pole broke, the coach falling in two pieces—one part on the metalled road, the other part on witness. He had been unable to do any work since. W hen he spoke to Mrs Steadman about the matter, she charged him with the capsize. (Laughter).—By Mr Barton :As the coach upset, witness grasped the reins.—William Cooper, carpenter, said he repaired a coach owned by Mrs Steadman, after an accident in January last. Witness was a passenger by the coach on the day of the accident. Before this occurred, witness and another person tried to straighten the break so as to give it more power, but they were unable to make an impression on it. The coachman said it did not matter, as he was going to have it attended to when they got into town. The horses, just before the accident, were going at a slow pace,—John Stevens said he saw an iccident at Look-out Point. He observed the right off wheel ‘of the coach get into a rut, then the wheel struck a stone, and so broke the pole. The coach went on for about eight yards, and than capsized. John Parlell, cabman, said he was sent for on the sih January. He wont to the scene of the acci dent, found the defendant lying on the road, and took him to the hospital.—William viley, carrier, said that he remembered the coach accident on the sth January. He lifted the coach from off the plaintiff.—Mr Bartm for the defence, said the circumstances of the accident were these : Before the acc dent took place the coach was going down the hill with a full load of passengers, and, as he would be able to prove, the driver was a most skilful and careful one. Besides Tapskey there were two other pas aengers on the box, and these would be abl bo corroborate the driver’s evidence. They were going down the hill slowly when th< driver found out something must have hap pened. He beckoned to the waggoners te pull up ou the other side of the road, his intention being to pull insi’de. The accident took place nearly opposite Mr Sibbald's house where the coachman intended to have run thi coach in order to repair it. So slowly was the coach going at the time that passengers were able to step out of it. Plaintiff caught hold of the reins below the driver, which caused the horses to become unmanageable. The horses turned round sharply, brought the coach round with them, the wheels became locked, hence the capsize. The accident was caused by plaintiff’s action.