MAGISTRATES’ COURTS.

Globe, Volume IV, Issue 415, 11 October 1875, Page 2

MAGISTRATES’ COURTS.

CHRISTCHURCH. Monday, October 11. (Before G. L. Hellish, Esq., R.M., Dr Coward, and W. H, Pilliett, Esqs., J.P.’s.) Drunk and Disorderly.— James McConachie was fined 10s, Jacob Cox, 20s, and John Dollan, John Martindale, Bernard Murray, Frederick Golding, and James McNeill, 5s each. Careless Driving.— John Aitken was charged with careless driving in Colombo street, thereby causing grievous bodily harm to John McWilliams. Mr Thomas appeared for the accused. Sergeant Wilson stated that about eight o’clock he saw accused and another person driving in a trap across Colombo bridge at a fast pace. Shortly afterwards he saw a crowd collected in front of the Golden Fleece Hotel, and a constable running after the trap. He then learnt that a Mr McWilliams had been knocked down and run over, and that accused would not pull up when called. He then detained the men, and Mr McWilliams was removed home in a cab. Yesterday he saw Mr McWilliams, who was very bad, and Dr Symes had told him (witness) that four of Mr McWilliams’ ribs were broken, and he had also received a severe cut in the head. McWilliams was too ill to attend at the Court that morning. The accused had objected to give his name to him, and said he lived at Eyreton, He then took him to the depot,

Aitken afterwards admitted having caused the accident, and said they (the police) might hang him if they liked. Inspector Buckley asked for a remand until the following day. Mr Thomas objected to a remand on the evidence given, as Sergeant Wilson had not seen the accident. He (Mr Thomas) contended that the man had been wrong y arrested, and an information should have been laid. His Worship considered the police had acted rightly in arresting the man when he refused to give his correct name. The result of the accident might prove very serious, and the case was aggravated by the accused not pulling up after Mr McWilliams had been knocked down. Mr Thomas said he could produce evidence, showing that defendant tried, but could not pull the horse up at the time. In reply to the Bench, Inspector Buckley said the accused had been a farmer at Eyreton, but was now residing in Christchurch. Remanded until the 25th, accused to appear on that date. Obtaining Goons by False Pretences. John Williams was brought up on warrant, issued in Victoria, charged with obtaining 200 corn sacks, by false pretences, in the name of John Jamieson, from a man named Brown, at Ballarat. Inspector Feast, who arrested the accused, produced the warrant, and copy of depositions taken at Ballarat. He had also seen a description and photograph of the John Jamieson mentioned in the wai rant, and they were identical with the accused. A letter had also been received from the Commissioner of Police in Victoria, asking that accused might be remanded from time to time, until a constable could be sent from there to identify him and prove the depositions. Remanded for eight days. Assault. —Andrew McTaggart was charged with assaulting Daniel McNamara. Sergeant Kennedy stated that he arrested the accused on the previous night in his own house on the charge of assaulting a man named McNamera with a poker. Afterwards found the poker produced in a shed at accused’s place. The prosecutor and another man said they believed this was the weapon with which accused had struck prosecutor. He (witness) afterwards took McNamara to Dr Coward. Daniel McNamara called, stated that he lived at the back of accused’s house, and had to go through accused’s yard to reach his (witness’s) house. On the previous night, as he and another man were going through the yard they turned into a shed, and accused came out, and after speaking to him, struck him on the head with an iron bar, and afterwards on the arm. He received three blows altogether. The blood commenced to stream down his face, and his wife came out and took him into the house. The sergeant afterwards took him to a doctor. Dr Coward stated that the prosecutor was brought to him about 11.30 the previous night. He had a wound in the head about in length, laying open the scalp. The wound had been inflicted by a dull instrument, and might have been caused by the poker produced. The accused called evidence to show the repeated annoyances he received from men coming into his stable and garden at night time. On last Saturday nigbt there had been men about there, kicking up a row during the whole of the night. Accused, in reply to the Bench, said he had several times been knocked down and .kicked by men coming into his stable, and early on Sunday evening he had turned three men out of the stable, and believed that the man he struck was one of those who returned. His Worship said he should certainly inform the Council of the long list against accused. It was scandalous that any man, without receiving warning, should have been struck on the head with such an instrument as an iron poker. Accused would be fined £5, and £2 expenses. Vagrancy. —Alice Beatrice Gray, a young girl who had been remanded several times on the above charge, was sentenced to six months’ imprisonment with hard labour.

Dog Stealing. Richard Davis was brought up on this charge Constable Prescott deposed to arresting accused on the charge. When arrested, he said he had purchased the dog in the Britannia Hotel for two glasses of brandy. Edward Thomas, living in the Papanui road, had missed the dog in Court on Saturday afternoon, and shortly afterwards he saw it under the arm of accused, who told him he had bought it from a man in a public-house in town. When he spoke to the accused he handed him the dog’s collar from out of his pocket. Evidence was given of accused having been seen with the dog in the bar of the Britannia Hotel on Saturday afternoon. He did not purchase the dog while he was there. Sentenced to one month’s imprisonment with hard labor.