CURIOUS CASE OF MISTAKEN IDENTITY.

Globe, Volume XXIII, Issue 2188, 1 March 1881, Page 2

CURIOUS CASE OF MISTAKEN IDENTITY.

A person described in the charge sheet as Bobert Littlocot, alias Alfred Jones, was brought up at the B.M. Court this morning, before J. P. Jameson, and E. Dobson, Eeqa., J.P.’s, on remand from the 25th inst., charged with stealing a gold mourning ting, the property of Fredk. Palmer. Prosecutor, a Wellington cabman, stated that on or about Juno 4th, 1879, he was stopping at Mrs White’s boarding-house, St. Asaph street. He left the ring produced on the day named in the pocket of his trousers, which were in a bedroom. Ho missed the ring later on in the day, and saw it in the possession of Detective Benjamin the following day. Prisoner slept in the same bedroom as witness at White’s on the night before the loss of the ring. They did not meet again till about six months ago in the B.M. Court at Wellington, where prisoner had just received a sentence of six months’ imprisonment for an offence.

Cross-examined by prisoner—Witness said ho first saw prisoner at White’s boardinghouse on tbo evening of the 3rd Juno, 1879

Was quite positive that prisoner was the man who occupied the sane room with bun on that night. Knew him a* Alfred Jones, which was the name given by prisoner to Mrs White. Louis Herman, a traveller, formerly a pawnbroker at Christchurch, deposed that to the best of hie belief prisoner was the nan who pledged with him for 6s on June 4th the ring produced. [Pledgeblock book produced J Prisoner gave the name of Chari©* Clark. On the application of Detective Benjamin, witness gave up the ring to the police. Witness had not seen prisoner since the day named till Friday last, when ho picked prisoner out from three men os being the man who pawned the

Was not quite positive now that prisoner was tho man, but to the best of his belief he was. For the defence, prisoner called Thomas Dixon, steward of tho Akaroa Cottage Hospital, who deposed that prisoner was admitted to that institution on April 7th to June 30th, 1879. During that time prisoner had never been away twenty-four hours from tho place. Tho register of the hospital was produced, the entries in which ■corroborated the statement of witness. Witness stated that tho entries were made by himself. He was quite sure of the identity of the accused. , The Rev, Mr Anderson, of Akaroa, also identified accused ns having been in Akaroa Hospital on tho date the offence was committed. , ... Tho Magistrates said, in the face or this evidence, nothing remained but to dismiss the case. , . ... Mr Littlecot then addressed a few indignant words to tho Bench, commenting on tho hardship he had suffered. The Police eaid if any mistake hod been made it had been on tho part of the prosecutor, who was positive as to the identity of the accused with the man who elept in the 'lame room with him ot White’s. The Magistrates thought Mr Littlecot had been hardly treated, and eaid that his faro and expenses would be paid back to Wellington, from whence the police had brought him lost week on warrant. On leaving the Oonrt, Mr Littlecot said it was hie intention to lay an information against Palmer for perjury.