GREY MAGISTRATE’S COURT.

Greymouth Evening Star, Volume XXXI, 23 July 1901, Page 4

GREY MAGISTRATE’S COURT.

Monday,- Jolt 22nd. (Before E. S. Hawkins, S.M.) ALLEGED ROBBERY. ' J. Shanahan and E. and D. Mitchell wete charged with stealing with violence 15/-, the property of one E. Dunford. Mr Hannan appealed for the accuseds. G. Lampard, cross-examined hy Mr Hannan, said he was frightened when Constable Fantrope Interviewed and locked the door on him. The Constable locked the door before he asked any questions. The Constable asked him if the witness knew anything about the affair under Seabrook’s verandah. He said witness knew all about it. Witness got frightened as he thought he would be blamed. He told the Constable that he would swear to the names. He did so because he was frightened. He was now satislicd that he could not swear to the names. After he told the Constable he reckoned he was right. The Constable told witness that he did not want any lies. He was not pumping him. It was only private and not to say anything about it. It was a • very dark night. You could not see anybody until you got close up to them. The four men came off the front street. They were well past witness before he noticed them, about 30 feet. Did not follow them up. Never saw the faces of the men. Never saw the man Shannon with a black eye that night. One of the men fell—he took it for the old man. The four men turned the corner together.

By the Inspector of Police.—The Constable shut the door. There was no key to it. Thought the otner man was Mitchell’s brother. Did not think that he told his “boss ” that it was Bill Mitchell. There is a light near Seabrook’s corner. Will not contradict that it was the light at Clothing Factory corner. Saw Shanahan on Saturday morning and he had a black eye. The Constable saw' witness three times. Wrote something twice. The last time he took most of it down that was after witness had seen Shanahan. The Constable asked witness something but he did not answer. The Constable then said he knew all about it, Fahthorpe said that witness would not get “in for it.” Witness then gave a short statement. The Constable only wrote a few words. By locking the door witness meant closing it.

•• Constable Fantborpe first heard of the ease on Saturday at noon. _ Saw last witness in connection with it. Never locked the door. Arrested Shanahan on Saturday night. The Court ruled that farther evidence by this witness was inadmissable.

The Magistrate dismissed the charge,