MAGISTRATES' COURTS.

Globe, Volume III, Issue 260, 12 April 1875, Page 3

MAGISTRATES' COURTS.

CHRISTCHURCH. Monday, April 12. [Before G. L. Hellish, Esq., R.M.]

Drunk and Disorderly.—The following inebriates were dealt Avith :—Alexander Campbell, fined 5s ; Theresa Dixon, 20s; and Wm, Jeffrey, ss.

Drunk and Soliciting Prostitution. — Two disorderly women, named Jane Mc Mahon and Martha Jones, were charged with this offence, and each sentenced to one month's imprisonment with hard labour.

Drunk and Resisting the Police. — John Howell, arrested for this offence, was fined 20s, and ordered to pay the damage done to the constable's clothes and cab hire. Assaulting his Wife. —Allan McKinley. was charged with violently assaulting his wife. Segeant Wilson stated that information was received the previous day at the depot that a woman was lying on the Stanmore road with her face covered with blood. He sent a constable there, and afterwards went up himself, and saw two cuts in the woman's cheek, and a long one on her forehead. Her face was also covered with blood. He then arrested the prisoner in his own house. The woman had only been confined ten days, when prisoner beat her. She was very weak indeed from the effects of the mal-treatment she had received, and the night's exposure. Mrs Mc Kinley called, stated that her husband had struck her, but she had given him " any amount of provocation," and she hadn't sent for the police. Edmund Reeves stated that he saw the woman lying on the side of a bank in Stanmore road the previous day. Her face was covered with blood, and there was froth issuing from her mouth. He thought the woman was dead, and gave information at the depot. The prisoner said he remembered nothing about it. His Worship told prisoner that it was very evident his wife wished to make the best of matters for him, and though he could not but respect her feelings in doing so, still it would not do to allow him to escape free after the manner it had been shown that he had treated her while in a delicate state of health. He (prisoner) had evidently come home in a beastly state of drunkenness, and had brutally ill-used his unfortunate wife As there was nothing previously recorded against him, he would have the benefit of that, but would be sentenced to three months' imprisonment with hard labor.

Forgery and Uttering.—James Campbell alias Samuel Cookwasckarged on remand with forging the name of Mr H. J. Hall to a cheque for .£l3 7s 6d drawn on the Union Bank of Australia, and with having uttered the same on Sigmund Cohen, pawnbroker, Colombo street. Chief detective Feast deposed to the arrest of the prisoner on the previous Friday at the Carlton Hotel. Told him the nature of the offence, when he said that he must do something. He (witness) had presented the cheque produced at all the banks in Christchurch, and it had been returned, " Signature not known." Sigmund Cohen, pawnbroker, Colombo street, remembered the prisoner going into his shop at nine o'clock on the previous Monday night. He purchased some hosiery. The shirt he (prisoner) had then on was a portion of the purchase he made that night. The amount of the goods purchased was £1 7s 6d, and prisoner tendered the cheque produced in payment. Prisoner said he got the cheque from Mr H. J. Hall, and that he had been working at the Ellesmere farm. He gave him a cheque for £l2 in change, which had since been cashed. The cheque which prisoner gave him had been presented at the bank, and at the latter they told him it was unlike Mr Hall's signature. Henry Joseph Hall stated that he had a farm called the Ellesmere farm. The signature to the cheque produced was not his, nor had he authorised anyone to sign a cheque for him. Prisoner had been working for him at the upper farm, but he could not positively say whether he and his mate had received a cheque from him in payment for wages. T. F. Baldwin, ledger keeper at the Union Bank of Australia, stated that the cheque produced had been presented at that bank, but not paid, as there was no account there. Prisoner ■was fully committed to take his trial at the present session of the Supreme Court. Assault.—William Gaffney was charged with assaulting John Kenny on the 29th March. This was a row between neighbours, originating through their wives. From the evidence it was shown that aggravating epithets had been mutually used, and his Worship dismissed the case, informing the parties that if they appeared before him again, he would bind each of them over to keep the peace.