MAGISTRATES' COURTS.

Globe, Volume XXIII, Issue 2203, 18 March 1881, Page 3

MAGISTRATES' COURTS.

OHRISTCHURCH. Fbiday, MABC II IS. [Before G. L.Leo and R. Weatonra, Esqrs., J.P.'s.] Dbtokbnnbb.s. —For first offences three men were each lined ss. Dennis McCarthy, for using obscene langu-.go in a thoroughfare, was fined 10s. A. McGuin. who was stated to be suffering from the effects of repeated intoxication, was Bent to Lyttelton Gaol for eight dr.vi' for medical treatment. Vaobancy.—Ada Gilbert, aged 15, was charged, under the Vagrant Act, with having no visible lawful mm;i>a of support. Sergeant Hughes stated that on the Bth instant she had been charged similarly at thia Court, and allowed to go with her father on condition that she remained closely at home. He described her as doing nothing for hor living and being constantly in company with the most depraved characters about town and with prostitutes. She was, in fact, a prostitute herself, ond since hor former dismissal had exhibited no symptom of reformation. Tho police stated that tho parents of the girl wore not fit to huvo charge of her. She web sentenced to fourteen days' imprisonment, and the Bunch trusted that by that time she would soo tho error of hor ways aud reform "

Labobny.— Peter Donoghue, on romand from the 11th, was again brought up for stealing £6 from a hand-bag belonging to Betsy Young. The robbery was said to have taken pkco at tho Palace Hotel. The ovi-

1 dence of several witnesses examined at the 1 previous hearing went towards establishing . the allegation. George Beatty, licensee of the . hotel, now called, deposed to seeing prosecutrix and prisoner at the bar of the hotel, when . the woman " shouted " for prisoner. Witness r saw prisoner examining the satchel belonging ! to the woman. Witness shortly afterwards again saw prisoner, who said that proi seoutrix was going about accusing i him of stealing her money, adding i that ho was not in want of money, showing at the same time some notes and silver. Witness , knew prisoner well, and was rather surprised at seeing the money in his possession, as an hour or two before he could only muster 2d to pay for half-a-pint of beer—the usual price being 3d. Prisoner, who appeared perfectly acquainted with the forms of procedure, oross-examined this witness, as he had all the others, without any material result. Having heard the evidence read over, prisoner said he had nothing to say, exoept that he was guilty, on which he was dealt summarily with, being sentenced to twelve months' imprisonment with hard labor. The money given up by Mrs Dixon to the police was ordered to be handed to the prosecutrix. Sybthmatio Shop-lifting.—Sarah Ann Boote was brought up on remand from the 15th inst, charged with stealing goods from shops as follows:—Barsht, tailor, trousers, &0., £1 10s ; Pratt, drapery, 15s j Walker and Smith, do, £2 7s j Cooke and Crocker, do., 14s ; and J. Sheen, boots, 18s 6d. Prisoner admitted stealing the whole of the articles, which had been exposed outside of shops for sale, except the boots. As a witness relied on by the police said he could not identify the boots, that particular charge was dropped. In answer to the Bench, prisoner said she had been driven to crime by want; she had three children and was totally destitute. Her husband had been away from her for three months and contributed nothing to their support. The police said it was a very sad case, but prisoner had evidently gone into the course systematically; there were quantities of new goods found at her house which were more than suspected to be stolen. Her husband was cooking at .Longbeach station; he had been telegraphed to, so far without result. Prisoner said her husband had held a gcoi roiition at Home in an insurance company for over twenty years. They had only been out twelve months, and had been in very poor circumstances ever since their arrival. The Bench regretted to see prisoner where she was, and, under the i circumstances, would deal leniently withher. She was sentenced to one month's imprison- ] ment eaoh for the four cases in which she had confessed, the sentences to run concurrently. '■ The police promised to have the children taken care of. '

Till Snatching.—Edward Longmore was brought up oharged with stealing a cash-box containing £24 3s in money, some insurance policies, and other valuable papers, from the Rotherfield Hotel, on Maroh 17th. Ohas, Deal deposed that prisoner, at about 1 o'clock p.m., tendered a JEI-noto in payment for a glass of beer. The ohange of the note was tuken out of a cash-box in sight of prisoner. Prisoner stopped about the house some little time, and shortly afterwards witness' attention was attraoted by the rattle of money, when, turning round, he saw prisoner and Mrs Deal struggling for the possession of the cash-box, which prisoner eventually dropped, and he then ran away. He was followed and arrested. The cash-box was looked and had not been broached when recovered from prisoner. Mrs Deal, wife of the licensee, John Hunt, stableman, Ernest Evans, and Sergeant Dutton, gave corroborative evidence. The latter stated that prisoner when arrested had £5 2s 6d in his possession. The prisoner pleaded guilty, and was committed for trial at the next session of the Supreme Court to be held at Ohristohuroh. Pockbt Picking—Viotor Martin was oharged with stealing a purse containing £1 Os 3d, the property of Peterina Anderson. Prosecutrix deposed that on Saturday last, about noon, while at Preece's auction sale rooms, she had in the pocket of her dress the purse and money above mentioned. Prisoner accosted the husband of witness who was with her. Shortly afterwards, she felt and saw prisoner draw his hand with the purse in it out of her pooket, and he then ran away. Witness followed, but lost sight of him, and had not seen him till she saw him in Court. Christina Ryan stated that, being in company with last witness at Preeoe's saleyard at the time before named, she saw prisoner running away towards the rear of the Al Hotel. Mrs Anderson told witness that prisoner had stolen her purse, and then followed prisoner. Charles Hawker, a poulterer in Cashel street, deposed, that hearing prosecutrix call out that she was robbed, and seeing the prisoner running away, he followed him into the Al closet, where he found him with a purse in his hand, either taking out or putting in money. He heard the chink of it. Prosecutrix shortly afterwards came up, and prisoner ran away. Prosecutrix called out "that is the man." Prisoner got clear away. Cross-examined by prisoner—" The puree contained a £1 note and a threepenny bit $ will you swear that you heard a pound note chink with a threepenny bit ?" Witness—" I heard money chink, I don't know what money." The Bench to prisoner—" You appear to know pretty well what was in the purse ?" Prisoner—" Yes." Constable MoDavitt deposed to arresting prisoner, upon whom he found a glazier's diamond, a purse containing Is, and Borne other things. Prisoner denied having stolen the purse, but the Bench pointed out to him that by describing the oontents of the purse he had convicted himself. He was sentenced to one month's imprisonment with hard labor.