MAGISTRATES' COURTS.

Globe, Volume XXI, Issue 1712, 15 August 1879, Page 2

MAGISTRATES' COURTS.

OHBISTOHUEOH. Fbiday, August 15. [Before Dr. Deamer and J. P. Jameson, Esq., R.M.] Deunk and Disobdbbly.—Two persona were fined respectively 5s and 20a ; a third was remanded until the 18th inst. Stbbet Fighting.—Charles Beard and Michael Byan were each fined 103 for committing a breach of the peace. Lunacy.—David Moyan, charged as a lunatic, arising from habits of intemperance, was fined 5s and discharged. Stealing Pawn Tickets. Christian Messeh was again brought up on a charge of stealing pawn tickets, the property of Thomas Thompson. In the continued absonco of the prosecutor, the police could see no advantage, in pressing the charge against the prisoner and it was accordingly withdrawn. Uttbbing Countebfeit Coin.—Frederick Q-. Kutland was charged with uttering counterfeit coin on the Ist instant. The first witness was a lad, named Thomas Henry Amos, working for a baker named Shead. Between seven and eight o'clock on the morning in question, while carrying confectionery iu a basket for sale, he met the prisoner in the Windmill road and sold him sixpence worth of rolls. Prisoner paid him a shilling for them and ho (witness) gave him sixpence in change. Witnesß afterwards found the shilling was a bad one, and gave information to Constable Brooks. Witness could not swear positively that the prisoner was the same man, but believed ho was. Constable Brooks was called to prove that the coin produced in Court was the one that he received from the last witness when he gave information against the prisoner. Henry Stevens, sworn, deposed that he was a waiter at Kiddey's Golden Fkoce Hotel. On August 7th the prisoner dined there, and was about to leave without paying for his meal, when witness called him back and demanded payment. Prisoner gave him a shilling, which was paid away shortly afterwards by him to Mr Alfred 0-ee. Mr Gee returned it to witnesß as a bad one. The shilling produced in Court was the same one. The police was informed ol the circumstance, and the prisoner was arreßted at the Britannia Hotel by Detective Stephenson. The next witness called was Mr A. Gee, who stated that ho dined at the Golden Fleece one day last week. He paid for his meal with his florin and received what purported to be a uhilling, but was really a counterfeit, from the waiter. Ho returned it to him at once, and the waiter gave him another, a genuine coin. Charles Jehu, barman at the Britannia, said that on the morning of the 7th instant the prisoner had two half-pints of bear and paid for them with a florin. Gave him baok Is 6d ohange. The shilling produced is not the one witness gave him. Detective Stephenson deposed that he arrested the prisoner outside the Britannia Hotel, on the 7th, for patiinj a counter-

feit coin on Henry Stevens. He denied the charge, but on showing him the coin (produced) he sard, " Yes, I did give it to the waiter, but I thought it was a good one." On his way to the lock-up he said he must have got it in ohange fromthe Britannia Hotel. In his defence the prisoner said that one of the coins alleged to bo counterfeit and passed by him, had been given to him by Mr D. Bees, with three other shillings, in payment for work done last Tuesday. The Bench adjourned the case for an hour, in order that Mr Bees might (be sent for in corroboration of the prisoner's statement. The case being resumed, Mr E. Bees, being sworn, deposed that ho paid the prisoner four shillings for a day's work on Tuesday, the sth, but could not remember the exact coin in which he paid hjm. The following night he remembered giving the prisoner two florins as wages. On the Ist instant the prisoner was at witness's place to work at a quarter before eight in the morning. The Bench held that there was a doubt bb to the identity of the prisoner with the man who gave the shilling to the boy, and thereforo, giving him the benefit of it, ho was discharged. LYTTELTON. Feiday, August 15. [Before T. H. Potts, Esq., and H. Allwright, Esq., J.P.'s. John Williamson, presented for being dronk, was fined 5s —usual alternative. Crvri. Business. Hildyard v Bilbee, claim £1 14s; judgment by default, and immediate execution.