MAGISTRATES’ COURTS.

Globe, Volume XX, Issue 1559, 17 February 1879, Page 2

MAGISTRATES’ COURTS.

""■ OHEISTOHUBCH.

Monday, February 17. [Before G. L. Lee, Esq., J.P., and Dr. Deamer, Esq, Drunk and Disorderly.—Bridget Ferrick, senior, with an interminable string of previous convictions, pleaded guilty to “ illness,” and was sent to gaol for three months with hard labor. William Lambert, who also pleaded guilty, and whose antecedents were equally disreputable, said he was in work, and on his promising to go out of town at once and resume it, was let off with a caution. Bridget Ferrick, junior, admitted having been drunk, and as she had not been before the Court since last May, was admonished and discharged. Mary Welstead denied the charge of intoxication, but the evidence of Sergeant Wilson was conclusive against her, and on her promising to leave town to join her husband within a week, she was discharged. Throe first offenders were fined 5s each.

Stealing Apples. —Eaward Wright was charged with stealing sixpennyworth of apples, the property of Mr Wynn Williams. The theft was admitted. Mr Inspector Hickson stated that there was a systematic robbery of fruit gardens going forward, and a constable was put on to watch, which resulted in the apprehension of the prisoner at 5 a.m. the same morning. A previous conviction was recorded against the prisoner for petty larceny, and he was now sent to prison for fourteen days. Vagrancy. — Rose Lake was charged with having no visible lawful means of support. Constable Cronin deposed that shortly after midnight on Monday he saw the prisoner creating a disturbance with a number of other persons in the streets. Ho took her to the

depot. Sergeant Hughes gave the prisoner a very bad character, and she was sent to prison for six months with hard labor.

Serious Assault. James Yates, remanded from the 10th irst, was charged with assaulting Johanna Mahoney. The defendant pleaded not guilty Richard J. Norton stated that he lived in Peterborough street, his wife keeping a laundry, in which the prosecutrix was employed. On the Bth inst., at about nine o'clock, the prosecutrix, who had been drinking some beer, was in lug house, and the prisoner Yates came in. The woman and ho got into an altercation, the former threatening to put him out of the house. In co. sequence of the woman’s threats and conduct the prisoner pushed her away from him violently, which caused her to fall, and in falling she struck her head against the table, severely cutting it. Johanna Mahoney, the prosecutrix, stated the injuries she had received through the conduct of the prisoner on the evening of the Bth inst. She admitted wrangling with the prisoner, who struck her twice, the second blow causing her to fall violently and cut her head against the corner of a table. Since that evening she had been an inmate of the Hospital. T)r. Chilton, house surgeon at the Hospital, deposed that the prosecutrix had been under his charge at the Hospital since the night of the 9th inst. She was suffering, when admitted, from injuries to her head, which appeared to have been caused by some blunt instrument. Palling heavily against the corner of a table might cause such injuries. With care the prosecutrix might now be considered out of danger, but if she drank to excess again he would not answer for her yet. The prisoner was fined 20s, and 25s costs. Larceny. Elizabeth Hisenbuttol was charged with stealing some drapery, the property of John Ballantyno and Co., drapers, Cashel street, George Gordon, being sworn, said he was an assistant at Messrs Balloutyne and Co.’s, Cashel street. On Saturday last, about forenoon, the prisoner came into the shop, and ho saw her in the act of stuffing some drapery goods beneath her shawl. She walked out of the shop, and witness followed her and asked her to return with him. She endeavoured to evade him, and threw a bag containing some drapery goods into Messrs Hobday and Co.’s shop. He tried to persuade her to come with him, and she went into the shop of Mr Harris, the bootmakers, where she was detained until given into custody of the police. The actual charge was for stealing a piece of calico of the value of ss, which the witness distinctly saw her take up and place beneath her shawl. The witness could not swear she had not purchased the other articles. Sergeant Morice deposed to arresting the prisoner on Saturday last in the forenoon in Mr Harris’ shop. He saw a pillowslip containing drapery goods, and also the piece of calico produced. He told her of what she was accused, and she said she had purchased the goods. This was the case for the prosecution. Mr Thomas said Mr Shackleton, of the firm of Ballantyne and Co., was present in the Court, and he said that the firm did not wish to prosecute. The prisoner’s explanation was the same that she had given to the police when apprehended, that she had brought the small articles of drapery, which she had previously purchased, for the purpose of exchanging them for other things, and that she had inadvertently taken up the calico. Mi Thomas pleaded earnestly on behalf of the prisoner, who was suffering from extremely indifferent health. Nothing was known against her, and she had for years borne a good character. FTe called a witness, who deposed to that effect, founded on an acquaintance with her for eighteen years. The Bench, taking these circumstances into consideration, coupled with the fact that the firm did not wish to press the charge, discharged the i prisoner with a caution. j Forgery and Uttering. —Robert Lee was charged with forging and uttering a cheque for £l2 on the . Union Bant of Australia. There was a second charge of forging and uttering a cheque for £l2 on the same Bank. Mr Neck appeared for the prisoner. George Steele, a carter residing on the South town belt, said that the signature on the cheque produced was not his. He did not know the prisoner. The witness had an account at the Union Bank of Australia, Christchurch, on the Bth of January. Had never authorised any person to sign cheques to draw on that account. John Reynolds deposed that he was a shopman at Messrs Hobday’s, Cashel street. On the 9th of January last, the prisoner came into the shop, with two females. They purchased goods to the value of £6, which the prisoner paid for with the cheque produced. It was for £l2, and was drawn in favor of Sarah Steele, and signed by George Steele, and dated January Btb. The witness, by instruction of Mr Hob day asked the prisoner if it was his cheque and he said it was. Thereupon the witness gave him the change, amounting to a little more than £6. Mr Hobday deposed that the prisoner had dealt in his shop for some years, but ho did not know his name. About the 9th of last January he was in the shop, and the last witness, Reynolds, was serving him. Received the cheque produced from Reynolds, which he subsequently sent to the Bank to get marked. The Bank paid the cheque. Thomas Fraser Baldwin, ledger keeper in the Union Bank of Australia, Christchurch, deposed that the cheque produced was passed at the Bank on January 10th, and paid and charged against the account of George Steele, whose signature was appended to the cheque. There was no other account in the Bank in the name of George Steele. The signature on the cheque was not unlike the genuine one. Mr Andrew Innis Rattray deposed that he was a clerk in the Bank of New Zealand, Christchurch. The book from which the cheque produced has been torn was sold to Mr Joseph Oram Sheppard on the 2nd of last January. Joseph Oram Sheppard deposed that he kept the White Hart Hotel, and had frequently seen the prisoner in it at the beginning of January, Witness gave him on one occasion a blank cheque on the Bank of New Zealand. Joseph William Francis, a waiter at the White Hart Hotel, remembered seeing the prisoner in the White Hart Hotel early in January. He was seated in the private sitting-room with two women. He saw one of the women fill in a cheque, and she handed the pen to the prisoner to sign it. He signed the cheque, or appeared to do so. The witness could not identify the cheque in Court. Constable Briggs, being sworn, identified the signature of the prisoner on the printed form of the articles in his possession when ho was taken into custody at the Police Depot. Annie Laurie Hill, being sworn, said she remembered Sarah Steele filling in and signing the cheque produced in the White Hart; Hotel on January Bth. The cheque produced was the same. She remembered Mrs Steele filling in the other cheques produced, but she specially remembered the cheque being filled up on the Bth January, because they came down from Lincoln that day and went to Hobday’s and purchased some things. The prisoner, Sarah Steele, and witness were all present when the cheque was written. It was got from the hotel by Robert Lee, and Sarah Steele wrote it out. Sarah Steele said to Lee “Shall I put your name?” and he replied—“lf you like." She then wrote the cheque out, and went to Hobday’s and changed it. It was Robert Lee who presented it at Hobday’s, and he had previously got it from Sarah Steele, as they were on their way to the shop in the cab. The witness never saw the pen in the prisoner's hand when the cheque was filled up. This was the whole of the evidence, and the prisoner, who reserved his defence, was committed for trial at the next sessions of the Supreme Court. The second charge was then gone into. In this case also the cheque was for the sum of £l2, and the same signature was forged. It was also cashed by Messrs Hobday and Co. The evidence was very similar to that in the former case, and the prisoner was again committed for trial, reserving his defence. LYTTELTON. Monday, February 17. [Before Dr Donald and H. Allwright, Esq.] Drunkenness —Isaiah Waitsra, a native, was fined 20s for being drunk and disorderly; James McDonald, 10s, for the same offence ; Francis Bock, 10s. James McDonald was ordered to pay 10s, amount of damage to constable’s capo. Refusal of Duty. Charles Clusky, second mate of the barque Chittagong, was sent to gaol for goyen days for this offonw.