CITY POLICE COURT.

Evening Star, Issue 4265, 27 October 1876, Page 2

CITY POLICE COURT.

Friday, October 27. (Before A. Mollison, Esq., and J. Hislop, Esq., J.P’s.)

Drunkenness. George ’Clifford and Andrew Patterson were each fined 5s ; and Mary M 'Carthy 40s, or three days’.

Wife Desertion.—Geo. Stokes was charged with deserting his wife Caroline, * 'omplainaut stated that her husband left her five weeks ago, aud she believed he had been enticed away from home by some drunken companiuns.—Defendant sa’d he had only been able to find employment at Timaru, whence he had sent his wife money, but none appeared to have reached her.— Their Worships, wishing to deal leniently with him, fined him Is and costs, and ordered him to contribute 20s a week towards his family’s support. Petty Theft.— Mary Dillon, who, during the time she stood in the dock seemed rather to enjoy her position, as the evidence amused her greatly, was charged with stealing a puff-box and a box of pills from the shop of B. Isaac, chemist, in Rattray street. Prosecutor stated that on entering his shop shortly after nine o’clock this morning, he noticed part of a puff-box had been removed. Accused denied having seen it, and though at first she expressed her willingness to be searched, she declined when she was taken into a room behind the shop. While there Mr Isaac saw her attempt to throw away a box of pills, and when a constable arrived the other part of the puff-box was found behind a looking-glass in the room. Prisoner told the constable that she bought the pills from Mr Leary, but it turned out they bore Mr Isaac’s label and had been made by him only twenty-four hours before. She must have abstracted the articles while the assistant was in the room behind the shop, making up a tonic “ to put her straight,” as she termed it. When the Bench were told that the value of the articles stolen was about four shillings, she exclaimed, “ Why, it’s not worth coming to Court about.” She informed the Bench that the pills must have come into her possession unawares, and the puff-box must have caught in the edge of her cape. She had no recol-

lection of seeing either. However, she jo,,u be •.grwable to do what,-v -- the* ; vt) Tliv worship* decided tuafc toe b-*pt ihmg for her was to go to service at Mr Caldwell’s establishment for three months. Mary wanted t© know what was to become of her baby, but the Bench did not icel called upon to advise her thereupon.

Easing Clothes Lines.— Mary Henry, ah elderly woman, was charged with stealing from a clothes-Une in Castle street a muffler and other articles, the property of • Mrs Keats. The prisoner was caught in the act of stripping the line by Sergeant Watson, of the Gaol, who was proceeding to his duties at an early hour in the morning. She said the things were her own, but the Sergeant, not feeling satisfied, knocked up Mrs Keats, when he learned differently. Prisoner now said she-, knew nothing - about the matter; she had been drinking. —As there were previous convictions against her, she was sentenced to six months’ imprisonment. , Assault. —George Ashman v. Geo. Billed- Neither party appeared, and Sergt.Major Bevan informed the Court that they had left the Court together a few minutes before the case was called on. Mr F. R. Chapman, who appeared for the complainant, said he was not instructed that any settlement had been made, and, on his application, their Worship’s ordered the issue of a warrant for the defendant’s arrest. Neglected Children, - William, Mary, and Catherine Johnston were sent to the Industrial School for five years, and ordered "° he brought up in the Presbyterian faith. A Loafer. —Wm. Carr, who bad been remanded for a week on a charge of soliciting alms, to allow of inquiries being made, he having stated that he had just come down country, and had “knocked down a big cheque, from the effects of which he had been suffering was again brought up. Inspector Mallard said that °n the prisoner being received into the gaol the Governor at once recognised him as having just served a seven days’ sentence. On his discharge Mr Caldwell gave him employment for five days, and paid him 255, which was the only cheque he referred to. The Bench sentenced him to three months’ imprisonment.