MAGISTRATES’ COURTS.

Globe, Volume I, Issue 2, 2 June 1874, Page 2

MAGISTRATES’ COURTS.

CHRISTCHURCH. k Tuesday, June 2. (Before C. 0. Bowen, Esq., R.M., and G. L, Lee, Esq. ; J, P.) DRUNK AND DISORDERLY. The following persons arrested for drunkenness were lined. Thos. Barlow, 10s ; George Carr, drunk at Railway station, 10s and cab hire ; Joseph Cripps, 10s, aud David McLeod, 20s, or 48 hours. DRUNK AND INDECENCY. John Regan for being drunk aud committing an act of indecency was lined 20s. DRUNK AND USING OBSCENE LANGUAGE. Peter Jack, for being drunk aud using obscene language in front of the circus the previous night, was lined 10s. Wm, bheldrick, on remand for using obscene language and breaking two panes of glass at Goss’s boarding house was again brought up. A witness named Lawson, stated he had seen Sheldrick walking in front of Goss’s boarding house, on Sunday afternoon last in a very excited state, and saying that his blankets were detained. A row had occurred in the house, aud rows occurred in that house on every Saturday night and oftentimes continued into the Sundays. The man could not get the blankets, and he said he would wait there if he had to break the house in, and until a constable came. That seemed to be the reason why he had broken the windows. Some gentlemen afterwards advised the man to go away but he would not, and eventually was arrested. The man was slightly under the influence of liquor at the time. In reply to his Worship, Goss said he had only detained the blankets to take care of them for the man ; he had not taken the 12s Gd away from the man which was spoken of yesterday. The man had spent the money in brandy. His Worship told Goss that he had no right to detain any man’s property, aud the police would be directed to make enquiries respecting the rows of which the witness had spoken. The charge against Sheldrick would be dismissed. Inspector Buckley mentioned to the bench that the police intended to lay an information against Goss. BREAKING INTO A DWELLING. John Henderson, ayoung lad, was charged on remand with breaking into Mr James Levers house at Bpringston, and stealing £sl therefrom. Mr Joynt appeared for the defence. Ohief-detective Feast said that in consequence of a report made to him on 16th May he took the prisoner to Herman’s shop in High street, aud from what transpired there he asked the lad if he could account for two £lO notes. The prisoner denied all knowledge of them, aud said he had never been in the shop before in his life. He afterwards took him to the office and told him he was suspected of stealing £sl from Mr Lever. Mr Lever was in the office at the time. The prisoner, after some hesitation, said he had committed the robbery, and had spent a portion of it in jewellery, and that all he had taken was under his bed at tSpringston. He (witness) subsequently went with prisoner to Spriugston, It was dark when they got there, and he went into prisoner’s room, searched the bed, but could find nothing. The prisoner afterwards took witness aud Detective Walker into a paddock near the house, and on a sod bank under the gorse he pulled out the watch, chain, aud purse produced, and said that was all he had robbed Levy of. After that prisoner went under Mr Lever’s house aud brought out the two rings, and chain produced, and said that was the lot. After that he took them round to an outhouse and pulled out the pipe produced, and said, “ Now you have got all. All I stole was the two £lO notes that bought these things.” There arc 21s in the purse, and he said he gave £lO 10s for the jewellery. I told him there were upwards of £3O missing, and he had changed a £lO note at Lincoln, and had lost the remainder of the money.

By Mr Joynt~The prisoner said at the depot that lie had committed the robbery and that all he had got was under the bed. Before this Mr Herman had identified the boy as being in his shop, and the boy swore he had never been there. He found no money on him but what was in the purse. James Lever, residing at Sprringston, stated that prisoner had been in Ins employ. On Wednesday, Ifith May, he (witness) left home and locked his room and his box. There were four £lO notes, two £i> notes, and some silver in the box when he left. On the Friday following he returned, and found tha window broken, and saw that some nails had been drawn out of the box, and a piece of wood splintered off. He then tried to unlock the box, but could not, as the lock was damaged. Eventually he forced it open, and found that all the money he had left in it was gone, He,

then went to the prisoner’s father’s house, and saw the boy, who, after he had spoken of the affair, said, “ I suppose you’ll blame me for it.” He (witness) said he had a very strong suspicion that it was him. Next day he came to Christchurch, and reported the matter to the police. At the depot prisoner afterwards said that the money and what be had got with it was under the bed. By Mr Joynt—l understood that when he had said that the money was under the bed, that it was at my house. He was in my employment up to the time that I came back. I left him in care of the place. I did take two £lO notes away with me. I didn’t take them out of the box, as I had them in my pocket. I didn’t say prisoner hadn’t left me but sixpence in the world. The boy, while he was with me, smoked and drank in my house. He smoked and drank before he came to my house as he told me so himself. I swear his parents never complained of his getting too much drink in my place. The front window of my room was broken open. Re-examined by Detective Feast—The prisoner must have known that I kept my money in that box. Isaac Hermann, jeweller, High street, remembered seeing the prisoner in his shop on the BOth May last. He said his father had sent him there to get a good silver watch. He then sold the prisoner the watch, chain, rings and pipe, produced, on the understanding that if his father did not approve of them the money would be returned. He (prisoner) paid him £IB 19s, and paid him with two £lO notes, and he returned prisoner the change in single notes. Thomas Henderson, father of the boy, stated that he had never sent the boy for a watch to Hermann’s, nor had he given him two £lO notes. He didn’t know how he could have got the two £lO notes. The boy was fifteen years of age. By Mr Joynt: I have noticed a great change in his conduct since he went to Jimmy Lever’s. He never smoked or drank before he went there. I have caught the boy drinking at Lever’s, and he did not care to come home after he went to Lever’s ; but before going there he was very fond of coming home. Lever said in his (witness) and another man’s presence that he had taken two £lO notes away with him to the coal pits. To the Bench—The boy has within the last seven years been to school for about three months. The evidence having been read over, the prisoner, under instruction from Mr Joynt, reserved his defence and was committed to take his trial at the next Criminal Sessions of the Supreme Court. His Worship ordered the boy to be sent to Lyttelton gaol, with an intimation that he should be kept separate from the other prisoners. FAILING TO COMPLY WITH AN ORDER. David Evans was summoned for having failed to comply with an order of the Court to contribute towards the support of his wife and family. The defendant said that he had met with an accident, and been unable to work. He was a labouring man, and earned 3s a-day in fine weather. His Worship said the Bench had been aware of the accident, and would not deal hardly with defendant, but he must comply with the order, and an order would be made I for three weeks of the time he had been laid up. That money, with an additional week, must fee paid into the Court by next Monday at 11 o’clock.