MAGISTRATES' COURTS.

Globe, Volume XXI, Issue 1808, 6 December 1879, Page 2

MAGISTRATES' COURTS.

CHRISTOHURCH. Satubday, December 6. [Before G. L. Mellish, Esq., R.M.I Labcbny.—Thomas Evans, remanded from the previous day, was again brought up, charged with stealing a cheque for £36 3s and six one-pound notes, last Christmas Eve, from the person of Samuel Manson, a farmer residing at the Head of the Bay, Lyttelton. The prosecutor's evidence as to the circumstances under which the money was taken from him has already been published. He now deposed that he saw the man ho suspected had robbed him on that occasion only, and he should not be able to identify him. The cheque was drawn by Hanmer and Harper, and witness saw them write it. Witness obtained the cheque the same day that he was robbed, and he remained in Ohristchurch some days after. By the prisoner—You bear a resemblance to the man that robbed me, but he had not so much hair about his fase as you have. Thomas Papprill, managing clerk to Messrs Hanmer and Harper in 1878, deposed that he identified the cheque proluced.for £36 3s,drawn in favour of the prose ;utor, and dated December 18th, 1878. Witness himself paid it to the prosecutor, who, a few days afterwards, told him he had lost it. Samuel Freeman, licensee of the Southern Hotel, Ohristchurch, deposed that, on the evening of the 24th of December last, the prisoner came into his hotel and asked him to change a cheque (cheque produced) of Hanmer and Harper's No. 3 account. Witness lent him £6 on the cheque and prisoner, after remaining some hour;, went away. On the 27th witness gave him another £6. On the 30th witness paid the cheque into his account at the Bank and found it was all right. Had given the prisoner a receipt (produced) as against his cheque The next time he heard about tho cheque was from Detective Benjamin, who said it was lost. Witness kept the balance between tho amount of the cheque and what ho had given the prisoner until tho 27th of January, 1879, and then gave it to the prosecutor Manson. Witness saw the prisoner on the day he was arrested, but before the arrest. He told witness there was an account between them on account of the cheque transaction, and that if witness gave him £2O he (prisoner) would buy him a gold ring. Prisoner produced the receipt which witness had given him. Detective Benjamin came in and called the prisoner out. This was the case for the prosecution, and the prisoner was committed for trial at the next eession of the Supreme Court.