RESIDENT MAGISTRATE’S COURT.

Evening Star, Issue 3537, 24 June 1874, Page 2

RESIDENT MAGISTRATE’S COURT.

Wednesday, June 24. (Before J. Bathgate, Esq., E.M.) Drunkenness.—George Watt, charged with being drunk on the Jetty street jet tv. was let off with a caution. = ■ Assault on a Constable. Michael Dundon was charged, ou the information of Constable Moore, with assaulting and obstructing him whilst in the execution of his duty, on June 24.—Mr Stout, who defended prisoner, whoni he said he knew as a re* spectable man, a plasterer, and an owner of property, submitted that prisoner ahdulq, have been charge 6n summons, and not brought up and placed in the dock, seemg he was net arrested till an hour after the alleged assault had taken place.—His Worship said the Constables Act gave distinct power for that purpose. The law had been expressly altered last session. Was it the part of a good citizen not to assist in the arrest of a violent prisoner ?—Mr Stout: It is not the part of a good'citizen to interfere in the arrest of a prisoner unless called .upon m the Queen’s name to do so.—(Laughter.) That is my answer.—Henry Howorth, barrister, said h$ had (pawn prisoner a considerable time, and he was a hard workmg, respectable man, and a good tradesman. Mr J. H. Harris, Mr J. Hughes, and Mr fctout also expressed their willingness to give evidence as to prisoner’s Worship said it was fortunate for prisoner* that the Act of last session was passed: otherwise, the assault being an unprovoked one and on an officer of the law, >he would have been obliged to send him to’the Supreme Court, it being an indictable offence, ihe Act was passed expressly to allow prisoners to be dealt with summarily. Had prisoner been criminally known, he would not have accepted a fine. Seeing that he was a respecta le citizen, and not likely to act in this manner again, he (his Worship) would inflict a penalty of dOs'/ in defauW lourteen days imprisonment. " Yagrancy. Catherine Powell was charged with having no visible means of shpport. Constable Grant said that he arrested prisoner at one o’clock this morning.' She had been living for some time at the North- * Last Valley with .me John Gatoly, a wellknown convicted thief. Witness had not seen her soliciting prostitution.—Sub Inspector Mallard said that it was from chanty a sake that he caused the charge of vagrancy to be preferred.—His Worship, in dismissing the case, advised prisoner to immediately look after a situation. Theft.—Catherine Cahill, one of the Carnatic s immigrants, was charged on the information of William Henry Arrow, publican, Caversham, with stealing, on June 3, a quantity of wearing apparel and ether things of the value of Ls.—Prisoner, in answer to the usual question as to her plea said: “Well, if he can that I took those things, then I am guilty and I don’t care; if he can’t prove it, I clam my liberty. ’—W. EC. Arrow said that prisoner was in hfs pmploy as k domestic servant.’ She left in the early part of‘the’ mdbtK ‘ H8 afterwards found his box broken open and some things missing, upon which he caused a criminal information to be laid, and accompamed Detective Shury to prisoner’s house to execute a search warrant.—While there he found a spoon and knife and foik, his propetty, on the table.—Evidence was also given by Mrs Arrow- and Deteotive bhury.—His Worship said he could not convict prisoner for larceny of all S® things contained in the information, ibere had only been the knife, the fork, and the spoon identified. Prisoner had beeh in a situation, atd a few days after she left

service her master found the things stated in her house, and she was unable to give a satisfactory account of how she became possessed of them. Bad she never been before the Court, he would have let her off with a caution, but unfortunately for her she had been there twice before during the short time she had been in the Colony. As the theft did not amount to very much, he Would send her to prison for fourteen days only. LakckUt froM: Pkbson. — Henry Pearce, alias Meerschaum, a well-known convicted thief, was charged with stealing from the person of one Peter Johnson, sawyer, a purse containing 20s in silver.— Prosecutor said that he was drinking with prisoner in an hotel on the previous day. While lying down he felt a hand in his pocket, and looking, saw prisoner at his side. Ordered him away, and went to sleep. When he awoke prisoner was gone, and so was his money. He could not say whether the money was abstracted when he saw prisoner at bis aide. A remand till next day was applied for by the Police,—His Worship : Has the purse or money been recovered ?—Sub inspector Mallard ; No* characters like prisoner know too much to allow that.—His Worship : Then there'cannot be sufficient evidence to allow a jury to convict. The case had better be dismissed, —Sub-Inspector Mallard : I trust your Worship sees the difficulty the police have \a dealing with men of this class.—His Worship; The police did quite right in bringing thp case before the Court. Had they not done so they would not have been ppting properly.—Prisoner was then disSpafgcd, hfs Worship remarking that the Splice were open to bring op the charge again ’ they got further evidence.