CITY POLICE COURT

Evening Star, Issue 4129, 22 May 1876, Page 2

CITY POLICE COURT

Monday, May 22, Before E. ff. Ward, Esq., and A. Mercer. Esq., J.P.V)

Drunkenness. —Henry Williams, James White, Ellis Queen, and Elizabeth Mowbray were each fined ss, with the alternative of twenty-four hours’ imprisonment; George Sweetly, alias James Ogilvie, and Jane Maxwell, 10s or forty-eight hours’. An UnbulyPrisonkr.— Archibald M‘Glashan, for being, drunk, was fined 6s, with the alternative of twenty-four hours’ imprisonment ; for using obscene language, 10s or forty-eight hours ’; for assaulting Constable HenshaU, 10s, with a like alternative; and for damaging the constable’s uniform was ordered to make good the damage (L2 11s 6d). The fine was paid. Naughty Boys.— Eredk. Hoare and John M'Cartey were charged, o.i remand, with stealing a pound of bacon, the property of E. de Montalk, teacher.—The Bench advised the boys’ parents to correct their children, who would otherwise seriously get' into trouble, and discharged the accused. Stealing a Watch. —John Mason was charged, on the information of Elizabeth Williams, with stealing on May 7 a silver feneva watch, her property, of the value of i 3 10s.—Prosecutrix said that she had been a servant at the Anchor Hotel. She left the hotel on the Bth inst, and lost the watch produced on the evening before. It was on the dressing-table in her room. She reported the loss to Mrs Hornby, her employer. She had seen prisoner in the place. On the 10th she called at the hotel and saw Mrs Hornby and the prisoner. Witness said that she had heard, accused had found her watch. He admitted having found it, but said be bad lost it again. He said he had found the watch underneath the mattrass on her bed, and had placed it in bis vest pocket. He then put the vest under his bed, but found next morning that the watch had gone. He ,promised to look after the watch.—Sarah Homby stated that prisoner was lodging at her house on the 7th inst. He found the watch in a mattrass on the 10th inst.—The Bench had no hesitation in believing that accused bad stolen the watch in the first instance, and that having found it he tried to hide it.—Prisoner: I’d cut my throat before I’d rob a man of a sixpence.—He was sentenced to three months’ imprisonment with hard labor. Another Charge. —John Mason was fiuther charged with stealing L 24 in money from the Achor Hotel. John Hornby, proprietor of the Anchor Hotel, placed on the table in the sitting-room, on the 16th inst., three L5-notes, seven Ll-notes, and two sovereigns. He left the room for a few minutes, and on his return found the money gone. Prisoner was in the room making the fire up when he left it. He was also there when witness wept back.—Prisoner : Did you see me take the money ?—Witness : No, or I should have given you in charge at once. -Sarah Homby remembered her husband reporting the loss of L 24 to her a few minutes after he had missed it. She suspected prisoner of having stolen the watch, for which he had just been sentenced to a term of imprisonment, and also the money. On the 19 th inst. she informed him that she had. reported the matter to the police. Shortly after he called her into his room and told her he had found Lizzie’s watch in the mattrass. She told him to look and see if he could find the money. About ten minutes afterwards he brought into the bar three L 5 notes, seven LI notes, and one sovereign. The notes and coin produced are !he same. She handed them to Detective Henderson.—Prisoner was committed for trial.

Affiliation. —John King was charged by Margaret Babbit, of Caversham, with refusing to support bis illegitimate male child, two years and ten months old. Mr Dennis - ton appeared for defendant, who admitted the paternity, and said the only question was the amount to be paid. —Mr Ward: The amount has been fixed by you. You have been paying 10s a-week.—Mr Denniston submitted that the maximum (10s) should only be allowed in cases where the father was comparatively well off, or in cases of hardship—seduction, for instance. Defendant nad voluntarily paid 10s to avoid exposure; and this amount should not be fixed by Court compulsion. Defendant’s average earnings were L2 5s per week, out of which he had to support a wife and five children. Defendant was willing to take over the child and support it.—Mrs Babbit would not agree to this ; defendant’s wife would not treat it properly. If he liked he could take her two children. (Laughter.) King asked that a sum in lieu of all future contributions be also fixed. He had already paid considerably over LSO, the maximum.—The Bench fixed 7s 6d as the weekly contribution (Mr Denniston arguing that the amount was excessive); and on the application being pushed L2O was the amount fixed in lien of all future payments.—Mrs Babbit stating her willingness to accept that amount,—Mr Ward : Then go away and buy a mangle.