CITY POLICE COURT.

Evening Star, Issue 3929, 28 September 1875, Page 2

CITY POLICE COURT.

Tuesday, September 28. (Before E. ff. Ward, Esq., and T. Birch, Esq., J.P.’s)

Drunkenness. Robert Haro, for being drunk in St. Andrew street, was fined 20s ; in default, three days’ imprisonment. Vagrancy, —Mary Davis was charged by the police with having no lawful means of support. On the application of the police the charge was withdrawn.

-.Tr^?. EACH 0F THE Licensing Ordinance.— William Scott, of the Oriental Hotel, was charged with allowing prostitutes to assemble in his licensed house, Mr Brent defended. — The evidence offered by the police was to the effecti that piostitutes and others were assembled in defendant’s hotel after theatre hours. — Ihe Bench decided that there was no evidence before them to showthat defendant knew the women were prostitutes a very essential element in the case. Publicans, as well as tradesmen, were bound to supply customers at certain hours, if cash was offered. It was not shown that the women were drinking and carousing with the men in the hotel. The police should have taken the men that were there, as well as the unfortunate women.—lnspector Mallard : The Act especially provides for prostitutes. — Defendant was discharged with a caution.' Defendant: I never allow prostitutes to remain there for more than five minutes. Alleged Sly-grog Selling.—Wm, Shep* herd, of Walker street, was charged with selling a' bottle of beer on the9thinst.,henotbeingduly licensed.—Revenue Officer Lumb deposed that on the day in question he met a man outside defendant’s house and took the bottle of beer produced from him. Elias Le Messurier, who described himself as a stone-mason, but was now employed as a bott'o-gatherer, said that on the day in question ,ho bought a bottle of beer in defendant's house. He met Lunik, who took the bottle from him, outside the hotel. —Mr E. Cook, who defended, said that the whole affair was a calumny, and called Samuel Webb, painter, who deposed that when Mesaurierj asked the defendant for the beer, the latter said he kept a boardinghouse only and declined to supply him. On the man refusing to leave defendant had to forcibly eject him,— The Bench in dismissing the case said that Lumb bad employed a strange character as informant, and advised him to get someone better,—Lumb denied having any collusion with the man and said he merely met him in the street.