MAGISTRATES’ COURTS

Globe, Volume IX, Issue 1279, 25 April 1878, Page 3

MAGISTRATES’ COURTS

CHRISTCHURCH Wednesday, April 24. [Before G. L. Mellish, Esq., R.M.] Playing an Unlawful Game —Peter Pa-mho was charged under the Vagrant Act withplaiing an unlawful game on the racecourse the previous day. Mr Izard appeared for the defence. The accused hud been playing with a wheel of fortune formed out, of two boards joined in the centre by hb ges. At the end nearest the accused (composed of timber of two thicknesses) were a number of very small holes, and on a common ] in being placed in either of these and slightly push* d, it forced out, a spring, which pressed against, the vertical revolving spindle, by means of which the horizontal arrows on the top of the board could be stopped at any desired point. A man named Will am Board, fish-hawker in Armagh street, had lost 5s in a few moments on Tuesday, and Walter Stafford £4 in a very short time. The latter had also lost 9s at the same game the previous day. In cross-examination it was shown that Pascbe had offered to pay Board if ho would act as confederate, and showed him how to work the pin, and that, he was to stop the machine at a blank. This be refused to do, but on the course ventured ss, but won 10s. Ho afterwards threatened Pascbe that if be did not give him £L he would “peach,” and the latter refusing to give him the money Board went and gave information to the police. Stafford related how he bad lost his money. In consideration of accused having a wife and family, and also receiving a good character from two witnesses as being an industrious and sober man, his Worship sentenced him to three months’ imprisonment with hard labor. At the same time bis Worship told him be could have sentenced him to twelve monlbs. Pascbe, who had commenced business in the morning with £8 ; had £56 10s on him when arrested. On the application of Inspector Hickson, his Worship ordered that £4 9s should be handed out of this money to the witness Stafford. James Ryan was charged with playing a game known as the three card trick. A witness named William Sutton stated that he was playing a game of dice on the course when a man came up to him and told him he had just won a few pounds from the accused. Witness went over and bet £3, which he quickly lost. Another man named Muir had lost £5. Detective Walker, who was called, handled the cards in a very dexterous manner, and showed the Court how the trick was done. Evidence was given to show that accused had been sentenced to six months in Auckland for the “matchbox” trick, and his Worship sentenced him to nine months’ imprisonment with hard labor. Thursday, April 25, [Before G L. Mellish, Esq,, R.M.] Drunkenness. —A first offender was fined ss. Abusive Language.— J. H. Hart was summoned for using abusive languargo to H. Good ley. Complainant did not appear, and his Worship dismissed the case. Assault. —In the case of H. G. Hutchings, for assaulting his wife on April 6tb, there was no appearance of the parlies, and his Worship dismissed the charge. LYTTELTON. [Before W. Donald, E-q - , R.M.] Wednesday, April 24. Transfer of License. The license of the Wheatsheaf Hotel, Head of the Bay, Lyttelton, was transferred from Henry Newton to George Edmonds. Thursday, April 25. [Before W. Donald, Esq., R.M.] Drunkenness. —Three inebriates were fined 10s each for drunkenness. FIFTY DAYS OF DANGER. THE SMALLEST BOAT THAT EVER CROSSED THE ATLANTIC. [“New York Herald.”] The steamship Canada, of the National line, arrived at her dock, pier No. 51 North River, after a long voyage from London, having left that port January 3rd. Among her passengers were Captain Thomas Crapo and his wife, who made the memorable voyage last summer across the broad Atlantic from New Bedford, Mass., in a whaleboat, schooner-rigged, with leg-of-mutton sails. Capt. Crapo appears to bea man of about thirty - five years of age, is of sturdy build, and wears a brown bread. His face is weather beaten, but a firm mouth denotes the resolution which enabled him to carry into execution his daring plan. In his speech the quickwitted Yankee is plainly traced, and every word has some shrewd, practical meaning. His wife is, perhaps, his junior by a year or two, a healthy, cheerful nelpmeet, and talks of her successful voyage with a pardonable pride. The twain were found in the freight agent’s office on the steamship dock, surrounded by a group of admirers, who were listening to each detail of the fifty days’ voyage with breathless interest. The reporter was taken by Captain Crapo to the smoking-room on the deck of the Canada, and there the yarn was spun of the trip of the New Bedford.

“ Why did I run such a risk ? Well, I’ll tell you. My first idea was a Yankee one—that is, to beat everything that has been done before. Uscriess, was it ? As long as Englishmen and their cousins are on earth you’ll hear of their trying their * spunk ’ against each other. Had I experience ? Listen to me, young man. I sailed seven years in the service of Messrs Rumble and Ramsdall, of Harrington, Me., and although I am not a captain in the American marine—l never got beyond first mate —I should like to see the man that knows more about ships than I do. Besides, I’m a captain now—captain of the New Bedford—and I’m prouder of that, and what I’ve ch ne with her, than if I was c mmander on the quarter deck of one oi Uncle Sam’s men-of-war.” Hero the captain paused, and took a few puffs of his cigar. “ Whon I first got the idea of crossing the coean in tfio smallest boat that eye? succeeded in the attempt I went right to work to design (he craft—remefiiber, I had made twenty-one trips over the Atlantic and spent a good many J ear's whaling,—and when I commenced to uild the New Bedford people wondered what on earth I wanted »fieb & craft for. My seaforiiflg friend# jjeyer doubted her qualities,

People said I was a fool, but I didn’t care. No, sir. I knew the risk and the exposure and all that, but I went right on until the bo it was launched. One thing kept bothering me.” The captain here became thoughtful, and seemed to take a good deal of comfort in watching the clouds of smoke that were wreathing above his head. “Well, captain, after the boat was launched ?”

“Why,” he replied, “one thing kept bothering me, for us the time of my departure drew nigh my wife declared she never would consent to my going without her. Q-ood stock, sir; she’s a Scotch woman, a native of GUa-gow. Her father is a Swede and her mother was born in Newcastle bnTyne. I married her at Marseilles, in November, 1872, on board of the Myron us, Captain Higgins. “Well, finally I agreed to take her. When I got ready to start a meeting was held in New Bedford, my native town, to wish us Q-od-speed on our journey. Rev. Mr Butler presided and friends assembled. Cable, compass, ensign, water kegs, &c., were given me for the voyage. The New Bedford is schoonerrigged, with two masts, carrying leg of-mutton sails. She draws only one foot of water ; her keel is thirteen feet; her total length barely twenty feet; her tonnage 1 62 100. She is thirty four inches deep. We carried the American ensign and our own burgee. “ We sailed from New Bedford at half-past twelve, May 28th, amid the cheers of the crowd on Roach’s wharf, and all the vessels at anchor fired salutes in our honor. We made our real start, however, from Chatham at two o’clock on the afternoon of June 2nd. As my v siel was for small to have a marine document issued to her I got a letter from Mr J. A. P. Allen, Collector of Customs at New Bedford, in which, after describing my b a u , ho slid—‘l therefore de-fire to make known to all who n it may concern that Captain Crnpo is well bow here, and his purpose is entirely legitimate, and ho has the good wishes of t.lii- community that his voyage maybe successfully accomplished.’ “ Once fairly out of sight of land we had enough to do and to think about. Our chief diet was canned meals, fish and fruit. Our bread was rather * hardish,’ you may believe. Our provisions were calculated to last out the voyage, even if more than ordinarily delayed ; but the passage was so bad —more like « stormy, winter one—that if we had not got from passing vessels fresh meat, bread, vegetables and water we should have perished. On several occasions we found om selves in a shoal of whales, who spouted a good deal, and these frightened my wire. Sometimes for two days at a stretch we experienced such rough weal tier we hud to lay to, attached to what »i> call a drag or buoy. At such times I could get a little rest, and when the winds were favorable had to be at the helm the whole time. Once I kept at my post severity hours without rest. My wife scarcely got a good night’s rest during the whole voyage. “On June 19. h we spoke the English barque Ameri- a in a heavy sea, latitude tihieg 42mm., longitude 50deg, lOmin. On the 21st we spoke the steamer Batavia, bound from Liverpool to Boston. There was a heavy gale blowing, and my log notes that I tended the drag for eighteen hours at a stretch. On the 23rd a Swansea brig offered to tow us into port, but I did not see it in that light, although the sea was running mountain high. At eleven on the morning of the 25th my wife and I boarded the Amphitrite, a bark bound from Bremen to New York, and here we were received with great kindness, and on leaving the captain gave us provisions and a couple of bottles of wine. The officers of a good many other vessels we met between this date and July Bfch were also kind. On the latter date we were alongside the English steamer Denmark, from New York to London, and were given provisions and two bottles of brandy. On the 15th, during a gale, the Q-erman barque Astronom spoke us, and the captain asked if we wanted assistance. Shortly after our rudder was twisted off, but 1 rigged a new one. On the 21st we sighted Scilly; the next day we sighted Woll Rock light, off Lind’s End, and at half-past five p.m. of thai day we passed the light, anchoring at eleven off Newland, Penzance. At midnight I turned in for sleep, having been on duty for seventy hours, and the next morning (Sunday) the * missus’ and I went ashore. And that, sir, is a true history of the trip of the New Bedford.”