MAGISTRATES’ COURTS.

Globe, Volume XXII, Issue 1867, 17 February 1880, Page 3

MAGISTRATES’ COURTS.

CI&USXCHUROH. Tuesday, February 17. [Before Gi L. Mellish, Esq., B.M.] lIII.BGALXIY at Labor. Minnie Bench, ali-as Thompson, alias Edwards, was charged with breaking out of a place of legal confinement before the expiration of the term for which she was committed had expired. Detective Benjamin, being sworn, said he arrested the prisoner last December in company with a man named 3? hner. She was sentenced at the last sessions of the Snprtme Court to four years’ imprisonment for stealing from the person. G. S. Beston, Governor of Addington Gad, being sworn, said he received the accused into bis custody. On the evening of the stb inst. witness saw the prisoner in the prison at 6 p.m. At 530 the next morning it was reported that the prisoner’s or-11 was vacant, and such was found to be the fact. The escape was reported to the police. Anna Kippenberger, female warder at Addington, remembered locking the prisoner up in No. G cell on the morning of the sih inst. The next morning, at half-past five o’clock she found that her cell was vacant. Had not seen the prisoner until the present time. This was the case for the prosecution. Mr Mellish said that he had examined the cell in which the prisoner had been confined, and it was constructed in such a slovenly manner as to offer any inducement for a prisoner to attempt to escape. Still this was no excuse. His Worship sentenced the prisoner to six months’ imprisonment with hard labor, to commence on the expiration of the time she was originally sentenced.

Harboring a Prisoner. —Ellen Thompson was charged with harboring a prisoner who had escaped from prison. Edward Sherrard Ballen said he saw the prisoner on the 6th inst, and asked her if she had seen Minnie Bench, who had escaped that day from Addington gaol. Yesterday, on passing the prisoner’s house at the corner of Park road and Harman street, as he was passing the door he saw the shadow of some one get under the table. This excited his suspicions, as he knew the house to be one of ill repute. He asked the prisoner if ehe was alone, and she said “ Yes.” Witness then overturned the table and discovered Minnie Bench. The latter said that her name was Mrs Graham, and that she had come from the Waiau. He then arrested her as an escaped prisoner. G. S. Beston, gaoler at Addington, sworn, said that on the 6 h instant he received the prisoner into the gaol for a sentence of ninety-six hours’ imprisonment. At half past ten last night he accompanied Constable Ballen to tho hous of the prisoner, and charged her with harboring Minnie Bench, who had escaped from Addington gaol. The prisoner was well acquainted with Minnie Bench. On being asked what she had to say, the {prisoner said the woman Bench had not been in her house more than a quarter of an hour, and she was not aware that she was coming. Minnie Bench would corroborate this if asked. Minnie Bench was put into tho witness box and sworn, and she said that she had not been in the house of the prisoner more than a quarter of an hour. She came about midday, and it was shortly afterwards that Constable Ballen came in. Sergeant Morice told the Bench that Minnie Bench bad on the prison dress under the jacket she was wearing. The prisoner again disclaimed any intention of harboring a prisoner. His Worship said it was evident that Minnie Bench had not been long in the house, and he would take a lenient view of the case accordingly. She would bo fined 60s, or, in default, one week’s imprisonment. Larceny. John Bird was charged with stealing lead, the property of John Sandford, value 10s. David Thompson, a shingler, in the employ of the prosecutor, deposed that he was shingling a house for him in Lichfield street. Yesterday morning, witness came to work about seven o’clock. Five lumps of lead, belonging to Mr Sandford, were lying in front of the building. The accused was there, and the witness saw him stoop and pick up something. Thinking he might be picking up chips, witness went away for some tools, and returning immediately after he saw the accused moving off and he (witness) missed one of the pieces of lead. The accused was gone, and no one else had been absent. Witness then ran after the accused and overtook him in Madras street just past St. Paul’s Church. The accused denied that ho had taken away lead from Mr Sandford’s building, and said he had not been near the place. Witness told accused ho must have taken the lead away, and said if ho did not say what he had dune with it he should inform the police. Accused said witness was making a lot of bother about nothing, and asked him to say nothing about it. When they got back to the building accused showed witness the five pieces of lead stowed away under some weatherboards. He said he had nothing in his pockets, but while speaking dropped on the ground several pieces of waste lead. The lead produced was tho same. Witness gave the lead shavings to Mr Sandford. John Sandford, a builder at Opawa, said the last witness was employed by him on a building in Lichfield street. The lead produced was his property. It was worth about 8s or 10s. He had never disposed of it to anyone or authorised anyone to move it from the building. Detective O'Connor deposed that he arrested the prisoner the previous day. Ho told him of what he was charged, and accused said he never touched the lead, but had gone back and pointed out to the first witness where it was. His Worship said it was a clear case of planting on the part of tho prisoner, and it was not the first time he had been convicted of that sort of thing. He would be sentenced to three months’ imprisonment with hard labor, and if ho was not very careful he would be one day sent for trial, and with his previous convictions it would go very hard with him.