SUPREME COURT.

Globe, Volume II, Issue 114, 12 October 1874, Page 2

SUPREME COURT.

CRIMINAL SITTINGS. Monday, October 12. [Before his Honor Mr Justice Gresson.] The criminal sittings of the Supreme Court was resumed at 11 a.m. LARCENY. Feederick Peiper and George Doig were indicted for having stolen thirty-seven boxes of soap, then in the custody of Richard Walton, as provisional trustee in bankruptcy in the estate of Hugh Andrews. The prisoners pleaded “Not Guilty,” Peiper being defended by Mr Joynt. Mr Duncan appeared on behalf of the Crown. Mr McKeever was chosen foreman of the petty jury. The facts of the case, as disclosed by the evidence, are as follows:—Mr Hugh Andrews, who had been carrying on the business of soap and candle manufacturer, filed a declaration of insolvency on the 4th August last, and was adjudicated a bankrupt. The estate of the bankrupt having thus become vested in Mr Walton, the provisional trustee in bankruptcy, he put a bailiff named Charles John Dunnage in possession of the premises. Amongst other property thus taken was 121 boxes of soap, and the bailiff remained in possession of it until the 15th August, when it was missed from the warehouse where it was kept. Information was given to the police, and Chief-Detective Feast, after an examination of the premises, came to a conclusion as to the manner in which the soap had been abstracted. The premises of the prisoner Peiper, abutting on the warehouse, Detective Feast obtained a search warrant and searched them, without, however, finding anything. From information received, the detective went after this to the tannery of Mr Thomas Wilson at Heathcote, and there found 3G boxes of soap which answered the description as to brand, &c, of the stolen property. The prisoner Peiper was then arrested by Detective Feast on a charge of larceny. Subsequently the prisoner Doig was arrested by Detective Benjamin at the Ashburton, on a charge of being accessory to larceny of the soap. Doig then told the detective that he had seen the boxes of soap at the end of Peiper’s stable in his paddock, covered with a tarpaulin. The prisoner Peiper then told Doig to go to a carter named Jeffreys, and get him to send down his dray, and on the carter arriving prisoner Peiper told Doig to load the soap on to the dray, and take it away to Wilson’s tannery on the Heathcote, which was done by Doig and Jeffreys. Mr Duncan put in the declaration in insolvency of Hugh Andrews, and the Gazette notice of adjudication appearing in the Jjyttelton Times of August 7th, and also General Government Gazette, containing Mr Walton’s appointment as provisional trustee in bankruptcy. In support of the indictment, Mr Duncan called Chief-Detective Feast, Detective Benjamin, Messrs Allen (bailiff to the provisional trustee), 0. J. Dunnage (the bailiff in possession), Hugh Andrews (as to the identification of the property). A witness named Welstead gave evidence to the effect that the prisoner Peiper had offered him £1 to tell him in what way he could get the remainder of the soap he had purchased without being seen. The witness declined to do so.

[Left sitting.]