MAGISTRATES’ COURTS.

Globe, Volume XXII, Issue 1896, 22 March 1880, Page 3

MAGISTRATES’ COURTS.

CHRISTCHURCH. Monday, March 13. [Before G-. L. Melliah, Esq., R.M.] RaaigTiNS a Constable. -Hugh Tuft was -charged with being drunk and resisting Constable Mahoney in the execution of his duty. Pined 20s. Assaulting a Constable. —John Warden was charged with violently assaulting George Neggs. He wait also charged with assaulting Constable McDonough in the execution of his duty. Joseph Magellan alias Spencer Lummii, and Alexander Findlay wore charged with assaulting Constable McDonough in the execution of his duty. They were further charged in conjunction with Pailip Gregory with obstructing Constable McDonough in the execution of his duty. George Neggs sworn said that on Saturday night he was in a right of way off Cathedral square. He was knocked down, and a cjustable came to bis assistance. He was too drunk to know who assaulted him. It was a little after 12 o’clock. He did not know any of the prisoners. Constable McDonough saw a drunken man in the right-of-way by the Central Hotel shortly after 12 o’clock on Saturday night. He saw the drunken man struck by Warden. He arrested Warden, who was rescued by the other prisoners, butjassiated by Sergeant Barlow, he afterwards succeeded in taking all the prisoners into custody. Gregory was one of the worst, as he told him he had long “ had his lamps” on him, and now meant to pay him out for aIL Sergeant Barlow corroborated the evidence of the previous witness. The whole series of assaults occupied only a few minutes, and all the prisoners equally participated in them. Wm. Skelton said he saw the constable in Cathedral square with one man down and another on his bock. The constable’s bat; n was thrown over the fence. He recognised Warden. A witness named Lusk gave similar evidence. Warden was fined 20s for the assault on Neggs, and 40s for assaulting Constable McDonough ; Magellan and Findlay were each fined 60s for obstructing and resisting the constable and Gregory ware fined 20s ; the costs of the witnesses and of the Court were added. In, default of payment, all the defendants were sentenced to one week’s imprisonment with hard labor, with the exception of Gregory, who, failing payment, was sentenced to ninetysix hours.

Larceny.—David Gray, alias McKillop, was charged wi.th stealing a vest, value 10s, the property of John Cothier. JohnOothier, the proprietor of London House drapery establishment, in Cashel street, said the waistcoat was taken from off the iron rod outside the shop where he had hung it up for exhibition. Samuel Stewart, licensed pawnbroker, said the accused brought the vest to his shop on Friday night, and offered to pawn it for Is. - He (witness) detained the Test, and told the accused to call in the morning when he was more sober, and he would lend him the money. Witness then gave information to the police. Detective M. O’Connor proved the arrest of the prisoner the day after the vest was stolen. There were six previous convictions against the prisoner, who was sentenced to six mouths’ imprisonment with hard labor. Miscellaneous.—G. W. Maguire was fined 10s for tethering a horse in a public place. John McMahon was informed against for not having his horse under control. The case was dismissed. Martin O’Neal admitted allowing 5 calves to wander on the railway line, and was fined 10s, and costs of 2s. Robert Dunn, charged with furiously riding up Cashel strest, was, on the evidence of Sergeant Wilson and a cabman named O’Keefe, fined 20s, and costs 6s. Frederick'Brown was fined 20s [for having in his possession an unregistered dog,