Feilding E.M. Court

Feilding Star, Volume XII, Issue 6, 28 June 1890, Page 2

Feilding E.M. Court

Friday, Junk 27. (Before G. Kirfcon and J. 0. Thompson, Esqs., J.P.s.) Jam Downes, aboriginal ;»ative, was charged with having stolen £2 9s from the tent of Samuel Clancy, at Bunnythorpe, on the 25th inßtant. Mr Matravers interpreted. The prisoner pleaded not guilty. "■■•■■ Sergeant Manning appeared for the prosecution, and called Samuel Clancy, who deposed : He was a shipwright, working near Bunnythorpe, for Mr Younger on some bridge work ; oa Sunday, the 22nd, was the possessor of a jubilee sovereign, a £1 note, two florins, and fiye smgle shillings; it was in. a tanned sheepskin purse in the trousers . pocket in a pillowslip under his: head ■; which he used for a pillow; on Wedneat day, about 1.15 p.m., noticed his trousers were pulled out on the floor of the tent ; the money was gone; in consequence pfj^ what Mr Younger told him they weniinfl^F search of the accused ; found him at a ' sawmill about half a mile off; on accusing him of the theft he handed over a pocket book to Mr Younger ; saw a jubilee sovereign and a note ; they all came back to the camp, and sent a messenger ■ to Feilding for the police; witness- identi- "• fied the note, jubilee sovereign, 2 florins, 3s, 6d, and 2 bronze pennies similar to those he lost ; gave accused no authority to take the money. Prisoner said he did not know how to-cross-examine witneasea. David Younger, contractor, deposed: On Wednesday Clancy complained to him (witness) that he had lost some money ; Clancey's tent was 4 or 5 chains from where they were working; the tent' was obscured from view, but could be Been i from the road ; accused passed the camp sometime before dinner on Wednesday in the direction of the Stoney Creek road, towards Holland's sawmill ; Clancy and witness caught their horses, and rode after accused, whom they found at Holland's mill ; asked him to show the purse, and he pulled out a pocket book ; found money in it which Clancy said was hiß ; fetched accused up to town himself the same ' night, and handed him to Constable Tuohey. __ > Mary Cavey Tremewan, wife of B. Tremewan, storekeeper, Bunnytborpe, • deposed: On Wednesday the 25th instant accused came into, the store; h« asked for some matches and witness supplied them ; accused tendered Is in payment ; handed" back lOd or lid; he had previously produced some money, amongst it was a sovereign ; accused asked witness what it was ; noticed it was one of the new coinage (coin produced) ; accused then left the shop. Mrs Mary Corkery deposed: She resided in Feilding; is a boarding-housß> keeper ; accused, was at her board-ing-house on Tuesday night; he slept there ; He paid Is for his bed ; he said that was all the money he had on him. Constable Tuohey deposed: On Wednesday evening at 7 o'clock Mr J>. Younger came to the police station accompanied by the accused, who was given into th» custody of witness charged with stealing £2 9s from a tent occupied by Mr Clancy and D. Younger at Bunnythorpe ; a pocket book was handed by Younger towitness containing money (described). By the Bench: Accused understood English. The money remained in the possession of witness since he received it from Younger. Accused agreed to- be dealt with summarily, and he made a statement (under clause 3 of the Criminal Evidence Act).. Accused was found guilty and sentenced to two months hard labor in Wanganui Gaol. The money was ordered to be returned to Clancy.