MAGISTRATES’ COURTS.

Globe, Volume XXII, Issue 2013, 6 August 1880, Page 2

MAGISTRATES’ COURTS.

OHS IBTOHURCH. Friday, August 6. (Before G. L Meliish, Esq., R.M., and J. B. Parker, Esq., J P.) Drunkenness —A first offender was fined in the lowest penalty. Danzia Kant, on elderly man, pleaded guilty to haring been drunk, and a'=o to haring resitted Sergeant Hughes in the execution of his duty. He was fined 20a, Assault —William Lee wa* charged, on remand, with unlawfully wounding Eliza Eedman. Prosecutrix, who gave her evidence with some hesitation, said she resided at the corner of Madras and Lichfield streets, and hsd been living with prisoner for nearly fire years. On Monday night last accused came home at ten o’clock in the evening, witness being alone. He was slightly under the influence of drink, although not drunk at the time, and they had some quarrelsome words together, and both went into the yard. Witness threw a tomahawk at him, and he struck her with something, but she could not say what it was. Her head was cut and she was sent to the hospital. James Saunders, who described himself as one of the unemployed and living at the house of prisoner, heard the quarrel, and saw them together, hut did not witness the striking of the blow. L. E. Nathan deposed that on the night in question he heard cries of murder, and with a neighbour went to the house of accused where he saw prosecutrix utterly prostrated, and bleeding profusely from a wound “soma inches in length” cn the head ; and, in presence of accused, he asked her who had inflicted the blow, and she said accused did. Ellen Bruce, who also lived in the house of accused, gave immaterial evidence, stating that she saw nothing of the assault. Dr. Townend described the wound as about three inches long, reaching to the bone. In itself it was not serious. Accused—By the state of this good woman’s system would you take her to be a nervous excitable person or a quiet person ? Witness —I don't know. The arresting constable staled that prosecutrix said it was accused who struck her with a piece of wood (produced). Prisoner, when taken into custody, denied that he had struck the blow. The Bench decided to deal with the case in a summary way, not considering it to be of so grievous a nature as to be sent to a higher Court. Accused, in making a statement for his defence, denied that he had ever struck prosecutrix a blow in his life. She had a tomahawk in her hand when the struggle took place, and she must have inflicted the wound with it accidentally or struck her head against the shed. In reply to the Court the witness Bruce, recalled, said prosecutrix and accused were in the habit of quarrelling one moment and laughing together the next. They were like two little children. Proseoutrix, reca’ied, said they often had words and blows. She was so excited at the time of the alleged assault that she could not say whethei the blow was inflicted wilfully or received accidentally. The Court had a doubt as to the cause of the injury and dismissed the case, at the same tim > cautioning both parties as to their future tef aviour. LYTTELTON. Friday, August 6. (Before Joeeph Beswiek, Esq., R.M., and T H. Pc tts, Etq., J.P ) Drone and Disorderly. —John Scott wai charged with striking Joseph Miller on the railway platform, and with using obscene language; and William Hayes was charged with using obscene language. The accused admitted the offences, the evidence going tc show they were both drunk. Scott was fined 40s for each charge, and Hayes 20s, will alternatives of imprisonment.