MAGISTRATES’ COURTS.

Globe, Volume VI, Issue 621, 15 June 1876, Page 2

MAGISTRATES’ COURTS.

CHRISTCHURCH. Thursday, June 15.

(Before G. L. Mellish, Esq, R.M.) Drunk and Disorderly,— Johanna Connor, an old offender, was fined 60s, and cautioned not to appear again on a similar charge. An inebriate, who appeared for the first time, was fined ss.

Drunk and Using Obscene Language.— Anne Osborne, charged with being drunk and using obscene language in Manchester street, was sentenced to one month’s imprisonment, with hard labor. Wife Desebtion.— George Wilson was brought up on warrant, charged with deserting his wife. The accused said he was willing to maintain her and his children if she would leave her father, who had threatened that if he saw him (accused) about his premises he would give him into custody. Mrs Wilson stated that her husband had been ordered to pay £1 a week for the maintenance of herself and family, and up to the present time she had received no money from him. She had had to leave him and return to her father’s house four times, and could not now rely on any of her husband’s promises, whose great fault was drunkenness. Ordered to pay thirteen weeks’ arrears forthwith, in default one mouth’s imprisonment. Larceny.' —Norman Macey, a young lad was brought up, charged with the larceny of a pair of blankets, two meerschaum pipes, and a gold scarf pin. From the evidence it appeared that accused had been living in Bachelor’s Hall, on the East Town belt, with Messrs T. Searrell and others. On last Saturday he reported to the police that a pair of blankets and other articles had been stolen from the house where he lived. A detective went to the place, and from subsequent enquiries he accused the prisoner of the larceny, which he then acknowledged ho had committed, and had left the window of the bedroom unfastened, to lead Mr Searrell te believe that some person had entered from the outside. Accused had given one of the pipes to a young man to whom he owed ss, and the other pipe and missing blankets, valued at 30s, and identified by Mr F. Wilson, were found at the house of the prisoner’s mother. Prisoner had nothing to say in defence, and was sentenced to one month’s imprisonment with hard labor. [Dr Coward here joined his Worship m the Bench.] Bigamy. —Thomas Moore was brought up charged, on remand, with having been

married to one Lillias Worrell at the Registrar’s office, Christchurch, on 16th February, 1876, he being already a married man, Patrick Dooley, who had been in the employ of Archdeacon Harder at Hokitika, deposed to being present in All Saint’s Church, Hokitika, on the 28th of April, 1871, when accused and Emma McDerraid (then in Court, and whom he identified), were married by Archdeacon Harper. He knew that the parties lived together as man and wife afterwards. J. W. Parkerson, Registrar of Marriages for Christchurch, stated that he married the prisoner on the§l6th February of the present year, and gave him a certificate [copy of the one produced]. He could not say whether he would now be able to recognise the female whom he married that day, but he was certain of the identity of the prisoner. Robert Thompson, messenger at the Hospital, deposed to being present when prisoner was married on the 16th February of this year. He had signed a certificate as witness. Recognised the prisoner as one of the parties married that morning. Detective Bettington gave evidence of accused having told him, when arrested, that the woman Lillias Worrell, who was living at Meara’ boarding-house, where he was staying at the time, called him out one morning, and asked him to marry her. He had been drinking about that time, and, as he did not know the English law, and was not aware that he was doing wrong, he went with the woman to the Registrars and got married. Prisoner reserved his defence, and was committed to take his trial at the next criminal session of the Supreme Court. Breach op City Bye-laws. Roger Fearon, for being absent from his horse and vehicle, was fined 1 Os. Acb arge against W. B. Clarkson, for a similar offence, was dismissed, as it was shown that the wheel was locked at the time. J. Wood, summoned for placing material in Durham street without permission from the City Council, and also with neglecting to keep a light on the same, was fined 20s. William Hurst, for driving without sufficient reins, was fined 10s.

Houses Anj> Cattle at Large.—For permitting horses and cattle to wander at large the following persons were each fined 5a : -F. H. Brittan, W. Hall, Thomas Blay, J. H. Sluis, C. McPherson, H. Knowles. Cruelty to a Horse. —Christopher Dalwood was charged with illusing a horse, at the Post-office stand, Christchurch, on the 4th of June, by driving it in a state unfit to be worked. Constable Creighton said that on that date defendant was driving a horse on to the stand- Both of itg hind fetlocks were rubbed and bleeding at the time, and there was no chafing leather on them, and the horse was in a very low condition, the “brushing” being to all appearance caused through weakness. In answer to defendant, the witness said that he (defendant! did not whip or illuse the horse. The only bad usage was the state of the fetlocks. A witness called by defendant said he had known the horse since it was broken in. Everything had been done to remedy the “ brushing ” of the fetlocks, but it could not be remedied. The horse belonged to his father, and Dalwood had only been keeping it in work in his ’bus for a few days. His Worship said that if no remedy could be effected, the horse must not be worked in its present state. The case would be dismissed on payment of witness’s expenses. Unregistered Dogs.— For having dogs in their following, unregistered for the current year, fines of £1 were inflicted in each of the ■undemoted cases <l. Hodges, E. Muschamp, W, Whitely, T. Patterson, T, Brenton, il. Gray, J. Nicholls, J. McKay, J. Highway, and John Campbell; W. DeTroy, ior two dogs, was fined 40s. Obstructing a Eailway Official. — David Crawe was summoned for wilfully obstructing William McMillan, gatekeeper at the crossing between Eiccarton and Papanui. Mr A. Jameson appeared for the defendant. The plaintiff stated that about nine o’clock on the night of 20th May, while he was attending to the gates waiting for the ballast train, he saw a fire break out at the back of his premises. He and his wife and son went to put it out, and while there defendant came iiP-o his garden. They had some words about the origin of the fire, and defendant then said that if he could not burn him (plaintiff) out he would shoot him Defendant then struck him. He (witness) was engaged in his official duties when he was struck. In cross-examination, plaintiff said that when he is absent from home his wife takes charge of the gates. After he was struck he went into the house, and brought out a stick, which he always carried with him, and struck defendant. He, defendant, followed him to the door of the house. When he went inside he left his wife in charge of the gates. Evidence to the same effect was given by defendant’s wife and son. Defendant, called by Mr Jameson, stated that his wife first saw the fire, and he went down to it. Saw McMillan and his wife trying to put it out. He spoke to him, and he, McMillan, said that his (witness’s) son had set the fence on fire. McMillan afterwards called him towards where he was standing, and knocked him down with a stick. He tried to catch him when he got up, but plaintiff ran into the house. McMillan was under the influence of liquor at the time, and his wife nearly always had charge of the gates. In cross-examination witness said that he had been to Papanui that day ; he was not drunk, and only had a glass or two of ale that day. Mrs Crawe corroborated her husband’s evidence, and said that considerable ill-feeling had existed for some time between the families. Mr Jameson submitted that the evidence showed that plaintiff’s wife was in charge of the gates that night, and the information could not be sustained under the section under which it had been brought. His vVorship thought differently, and considered the plaintiff had been assaulted while on duty, and the result m : ght have been very serious. Defendant’s conduct certainly showed that he was under the influence of liquor at the time. Fined 40s.

Assaults. —James Stevepaon was charged with assaulting Thomas Webster on the 6th June at the Wheatsheaf Hotel, Shand’s Track. Plaintiff had called at defendant’s hotel on that night, and asked the landlady for work, and subsequently for a shakedown. She refused to give him one, and the blacksmith across the road gave him permission to sleep in his shop. Defendant afterwards came over to the shop, turned witness out, and subsequently followed him up the road, kicking and striking him until be became insensible. He was so much hurt that he had to sleep out that night, and was still r. patient in the hospital from the injuries then received. Two other witnesses deposed to

Stevenson coming into the blacksmith’s shop, and kicking the man; He also followed plaintiff down the road, and they afterwards saw him pick him up. In reply to the Bench defendant said that the man had been cheeky to his wife, and that was the reason why he was refused a shake down. His Worship told the defendant that his conduct had been most brutal, as he (his Worship) had seen the man when he came to town. He was not fit to hold a license, and his treatment of this man would not be forgotten at the next sitting of the Licensing Bench. He would be fined £5, and £2 plaintiff’s expenses incurred through the injuries received. Another case, Joseph Evans against Valentine Schott, was adjourned for a week at the request of defendant. LYTTELTON, Thursday, June 15. (Before W. Donald, Esq, R.M., and T. H. Potts, Baq, J.P.) Drunkenness. —Samuel Taylor, arrested by Constable Davine, was fined 10s, cart hire Is, or in default forty-eight hours. Drunk and Soliciting Prostitution. —Ann Jordan alias Andrews, arrested by Constable Daley, and charged with Ihe above offence, was sentenced to one week’s imprisonment at Addington with hard labour. Civil Oases. —Lucas v Moirs, claim £lO 6s BJ, Mr H. N. Nalder for plaintiff, judgment for amount claimed, costs 20s, solicitor’s fees 21s ; Olliver v Holding, claim 25s for a week’s board and lodging, judgment by default, costs 9a.