MAGISTRATES’ COURTS.

Globe, Volume II, Issue 192, 20 January 1875, Page 3

MAGISTRATES’ COURTS.

CHRISTCHURCH. Wednesday, January 20. [Before G. L. Hellish, Esq., R.M.] DRUNK AND DISORDERLY. Anne Osborne, a very old offender was charged with drunkenness. Constable Strong stated that he arrested the prisoner the previous day she was drunk, and was abusing a cabman on the stand, in front of the City Hotel. The unfortunate woman said that the man she was abusing was her husband. He had sold her out of both house and home, and was living with another woman who was of ill repute, and who had also charge of her children. She would rather follow her children to the cemetery than see them placed under a woman of this kind. Her husband had sneered at her on this occasion when she was passing the stand, with the intention of getting her into trouble, and she lost her temper. . Her life was a misery to her, and she did riot care what punishment the Bench inflicted. Sentenced to six months’ imprisonment with hard labor, as a vagrant. Mary McCauley, arrested for drunkenness and tearing the constable’s jumper, was remanded until Saturday to allow of her father being communicated with. George Morris was fined ss, and Philip Green, ss. FORGERY AND UTTERING. Frederick Cooper was charged on remand with forging the name of A. Cardale, of Weeden’s, to a cheque for £l7 10s, drawn on the Bank of New Zealand, and with having uttered the same. A second charge was also preferred against the prisoner of forging an order, by which means he had obtained the cheque book. The charge of forging the order was first heard. Chief Detective Feast repeated the previous evidence. Walter Collier Cuff, clerk in the Bank of New Zealand, remembered the prisoner coming to the bank on Friday last. He brought the order produced for a chequebook, Asked him if he got the order from Mr Cardale, and he said yes. He said he was Mr Cardale’s coachman, and that he (Mr Cardale) was at Collins’s Hotel. Gave him the cheque-book produced. Alfred Cardale, station owner, living at Weeden’s, stated that the order produced was not in his handwriting, and he had neither given it to the prisoner nor authorised him to write it. Neither had he told him to go to the bank of New Zealand for a cheque-book. Prisoner had been in his employ, and left him, in June 1873. After the evidence had been read over and the prisoner had been duly cautioned, he reserved his defence, and was committed to take his trial at the next criminal session of the Supreme Court. The charge of forging the cheque was then gone into. Chief Detective Feast repeated the substance of his former evidence, and added that when he took the prisoner to the depot, on searching him he found some papers on which he (prisoner), said he had been practising. Winslow Woodward, ledger-keeper at the Bank of New Zealand, remembered the prisoner coming to the bank on Friday last and presenting the cheque produced for £l7 10s, signed by Alfred Cardale. It did not look like the signature of Mr Cardale, and prisoner was detained until the detectives were communicated with. By prisoner—You did not receive any money on account of the cheque. Alfred Cardale stated that the signature to the cheque produced was not his. He had never authorised the prisoner to sign cheques for him. Prisoner while in his employ had seen his signature perhaps a dozen times. The prisoner was also fully committed on this charge. LYTTELTON. Tuesday, January 19. [Before W. Donald, Esq., R.M.] DRUNKENNESS. Richard King, arrested by Constable Wallace, charged with this offence, was fined 10s, which was paid.