MAGISTRATES' COURTS

Globe, Volume IX, Issue 1238, 22 February 1878, Page 2

MAGISTRATES' COURTS

CHRISTCHURCH. TttH.ll>*.?, FBBI»rJABY 22. [Before G-.' L. Mulish, Esq., B.M.J Db,unkennesb : . 'Jfwo' 'offenders were fined IQf and ss' respectively. LAECENf jjßOJjf'A Dwelling.—Jererniah John Riardop' was brought iip,' on'remand, cbarges with the larceny of a§Qut #IU * n money, and property of the yajue of 'Bis Qi from the house oi' Mr jjppef. ' Mr Joynt appeared for prisoner. Inspector Hickson conducted the prosecution, and palled the following evidence:—Margaret Jongfy fetpr pf the prisoner, was called, but she was,' however, tpQ cjyerppme by emotion to allow her evidence to t?e taken Detective Walker deposed that on Monday 18th instant he had, from information received, gone with prosecutor to see prisoner at Cobb's stables in Cashel street, Witness asked prisoner to get into the waggonette. Prisont r got in, and while driving down the prisoner said, " There's some swindle on now." He asked "Where are you going wish me?" Witness replied, "lam going dawn to your sister's place." Prisoner said, " I suppose she is going to make some charge against me." When they got to Jones's, wltiidea -soarshed prisoner in presence of Mr and iirs Jones'and' found on. him £@ Is lOd in money. Witness arrested rjrisdnei* then and charged him with stealing the money from Mr Jones. Prisoner said, " I brought that money from Melbourne i'our months ago." [Prisoner—" Some of it,"] Prisoner was a little intoxicated at the time. Crossexamined by Mr Joynt. Mr Jones was in the waggonette. I think prisoner knew who I was. I did not tell him. After I had searched hint he asked my name. When I asked him into the waggon I said, "Come away in the waggon' with me.," That was on the footpath opposite Cobb's stable'. I d$ not lay my bund upon him. I don't think Jones spoke a word, He told me who prisoner was. Jones got down to look for prisoner, and when he found him called me. I did not tell pviaoi or I would take him tj the police station. About the time ho was getting into the waggon he asked mo where I was taking hjm to. Jones did not say a word, but whiMi I was tu*niiig the trap round towards t ; e statsou Jones said (, I thjnk had bett r take him to our place," Prisoner, ei/cly a good deal to Jones, but'Jone3 did not speak to him. At Jones's I s>.iid " Imust-search you." Mrs Jones burst out crying when she saw the money. Sho may havo spoken to prisoner but I don't think sho did. 1 believe prisoner said" I brought that money from Melbourne." He might have said "some 'of that 'money." i7o he djd not say'!" some of that motley." t am certain he dii not. 1 have peejj before, but did not know his name. He' was 'nob working at Cobb &Co,'e. Margaret Jones was,

again called, but was in too agitated a state to be examined. John Jones, tinsmith and stort keeper, in Cashel street east, deposed thae prisoner was his wife's brother. Prisoner had lately been to Melbourne, whence he had returned three or four mouths since. On Monday, the 18th instant, witness was away from home, and received a message from his wife requesting him to come home at once. It was about four o'clock. From what his wife told witness he went to look for prisoner. He went part of the way to his lodgings, but returned for a detective. He saw detective Walker, with whom he went to Cobb's stables, where prisoner was in the habit of calling. Witness saw prisoner, and told him he was wanted outside. Detective Walker was outside in a Witness had missed some money from his house, altogether between £lO and £11; he could not saw how much exactly. There were two new sovereigns with St. G-eorge and the dragon on them. No marks were on the money that witness was aware of. Witness had seen the money last on the 16th instant. The whole of the money was in a small tin box, in which were also mother's gold ring, small gold breast-pin, a small silver pencil-case, part of a silver tooth-pick, and a piece of plain silver about 2£in. in diameter. The box containing these was in a clothes chest in the corner of witness's bed-room. When prisoner returned from Melbourne he was very dejected, and led witness to believe he was without a penny. He had begged his passage and worked under the head cook. When he was going to a situation at Rangiora about five or six week's since he borrowed 5s to pay for his passage. Prisoner knew every place in the house, and was well acquainted with where the money was kept. The money produced was of the same description as that which witness missed, but there was not any silver. The value of the jewelry was about 20s or 255. To Mr Joynt—The prisoner has slept one night at my bouse since his return from Melbourne. We have kept our money in the bedroom for eight or nine years. We had kept it in "a large chest till two months ago about. The smaller chest in which we kept it lately was also in the bedroom. The change was made by my wife for convenience. The box was never locked. I could not say that prisoner was ever in my bedroom. (Witness described the position of the rooms and furniture in the house.) Other people besides the prisoner come into the kitchen. Prisoner came to read the paper nearly every day. We were not on good terms together before prisoner went to Australia, but since his return we have been on very good terms. Prisoner has been working at five or six places since his return. Minnie Henderson, a little girl who was so nervous that some difficulty was experienced in getting her to kiss the book, deposed that her father's name is Alexander, a stoker residing on the East town belt. She knew Jones's shop, and was in the neighborhood about the day before yesterday, when she saw a man standing by the door. She did not see him go in or come out. It was the side door. The time was in the afternoon. She could not recognise the man. He was rather short, and wore a black coat and round hat, It was a black hat. Neither the coat nor the hat prisoner now wore was like what the man had. She did not see his features. To Mr Joynt—The man was inside the gate, and stood against the side-door. The day I saw him was Tuesday. Margaret Jones, wife of prosecutor, and sister of prisoner, deposed that she saw prisoner passing the window hastily at about four or half-past on Monday afternoon. She looked out, and saw that he was going towards his sister's. He would have previously passed the shop. She noticed that the front door was ajar and the bedroom door half open. She had closed the front door after taking the milk at half-past three. Witness went to the chest to see if the money was right, but found it was gone. There waß £8 10s or £9 10s —three sovereigns, two notes, and the remainder half sovereigns, no silver or copper. Witness described the other property whioh had been with the money. She last saw the money before dinner on the 18th. Prisoner was, walking much faster than he usually did. He had frequently seen witness go to the box for money. (The witness corroborated her husband's evidence as to the prisoner having no money and borrowing ss, &c. To Mr Joynt—The last time I counted the money was on a Saturday. I was then alone. There was no silver with it. There was £l2 then. My husband had taken one note since. I took one and a half sovereign, which I gave to the baker. That was on Saturday. Prisoner returned the 5s he borrowed. I saw the prisoner when he passed the window as plainly as I see him now. Directly I missed the rnonev J. ! thought my brother had' taken It. We seldom have visitors. The bedroom door is always kept shut. There is no lock on the box where the money was. My brother had been in the house that morning. He came into the front room and then into the back room, where he read the paper. He liyed with my sister, Mrs Shirley, in Matthison street, Fepry road. We are not friends with Mr and Mrs Shirley. Prisoner has been at work eince he returned from Rangiora. The little tin box in which the money had been was taken. I have not seen the trinkets since. The only reason I suspected my brother was because he was the only person who came in at the front door, except on Sundays. If anyone comes to see my husband on business he may come and knock at the door. I should have heard a knock had one beer, given. I had not been out,jj.d« that afternoon. Bent Joshua Hamilton Oarew, livery atabje keeper in Oxford Terrace, deposed that he knew prisoner, who had been in his employment lor a week. After being at work for three days, prisoner asked witness for money. That was on Saturday week. He said he wanted a little money to take something home. Witness gave him lis, all the change he had. ; Prisoner left on Thursday last. On the pert #ay witness paid him 245. To Mr had not previously knoyh prisoner. Mr'Jbyht Was about to address t)id Bench, but his Worship intimated'that "he would not deal with the'case, as there was sufficient evidence to show grave suspicion, and the matter' could not be deajt with summarily. The prisoner was committed for trial, arid was admitted to bail jn two sureties of £75 each and himself in £l5O.