MAGISTRATES’ COURTS.

Globe, Volume IV, Issue 476, 24 December 1875, Page 3

MAGISTRATES’ COURTS.

CHRISTCHURCH. Friday, December 24. (Before G, L. Lee and C. R. Blakiston, Esqs, J.P.’b). Indecent Exposure,— Sydney Dowding, charged with committing an act of exposure at the Cemetery the previous day in the presence of a number of children, was fined £2. Drunk and Disorderly,— James Ryan for this offence was fined 20s, or forty-eight hours. Lunacy from Drink,—Ellen Cato, who had been remanded on this charge, was brought up and discharged with a caution. Forgery and Uttering.— John William Tarrant was charged on warrant with forging the name of W. H. Langdown to a cheque for £l4 7s 6d, drawn on the Bank of Australasia, Christchurch, and also with having uttered the same. Inspector Feast deposed to arresting the accused on the evening of the 23rd, at Lyttelton When told the charge accused said that there must be some mistake about it. Got the cheque produced from Mr Ewart, of Johnston and Co, High street, the same day. Had presented the cheque at all the Banks, but the name was not known. William Ewart, shopman at Messrs Johnston’s, deposed to accused going to their shop and asked witness to give him a duplicate invoice of stores supplied to him and his mates some time back. Knew that prisoner and his mates had been working for Mr Langdown. He (witness) refuse to give the duplicate, and then accused asked witness to cash the cheque produced, which he said he had got from Mr Langdown. Noticed that the cheque was not properly filled, and told accused to hurry Mr Langdown and have this rectified. ‘ Accused took the cheque away, and returned saying Mr Langdown, and that Mr Bowler, accountant to Mr Langfiown, had filled in the cheque and placed his initials to it. He then cashed the cheque for accused Presented it at the Bank of Australasia the following day, when it was returned marked “no account,” Prisoner had endorsed the cheque in his (witness’s) presence. Understood that the name to the cheque was Mr Langdown, timber merchant, High street. |Mr Langdown called, stated that accused had been in his employ, and was discharged about the 16th. The signature to the cheque was not his, nor were the initials on the cheque those of his clerk. T. H. Caverhill, assistant ledger keeper at the Bank of Australasia, remembered seeing the accused at the Bank on Monday last, and heard him ask the teller for a blank cheque. Saw the teller give him one. The cheque K’ need had been taken from the chequein the teller’s charge to supply blank forms to customers. The cheque produced was presented by Mr Ewart at the Bank, and returned “no account.” By the accused—l am sure you are the man who asked for the blank cheque, and I saw the teller hand you one. In reply to the Bench, the prisoner reserved his defence, and was fully committed to take his trial at the next session of the Supreme Court,