POLICE COURT.

Globe, Volume XXIII, Issue 2241, 8 June 1881, Page 3

POLICE COURT.

OHEIBTOHUBOH. Wednesday, June 8. , [Before J. Ollivier, E. Westenra, and J. E. Parker, Esqrs., J.P.’s] Drunkenness. —Peter Thompson, a dressed young man, for being drunk and disorderly, was fined ss, or twenty-four hours’ imprisonment. He was also charged with using obscene language. It was very bad case, ho having followed two ladies, and behaved in a most indecent manner. The husband of one of the ladies gave evidence, and intimated that the ladies themselves were unwilling to appear on account of the disgusting nature of the charge. His Worship said he understood the feeling, but to deal with such cases, which were of too frequent occurrence, it was necessary for the Bench to be fully supplied with particulars. Prisoner was fined 20s, or fortyeight hours' imprisonment. For a first offence, a woman was fined ss. Alleged Arson.—John Duncan alias Henry Brown was brought up on remand charged with two offences of this kind. Prisoner wee undefended. Wm. Stoddart, a farmer of Lincoln, stated that he owned a six-roomed cottage in Bingsland which was burned down on May 23rd. It had been unoccupied for some time. It was built sixteen years ago, cost £450, and was insured in the South British for £ 250. W.H. Olabbnrn,gentleman, residing near the house that had been burned, deposed to having looked after the house for Mr Stoddart. "Vagrants had occasionally got into and slept in the house. Had seen prisoner getting over a garden gate as if coming from the house. That was three or four weeks before the fire. W. F. Hubbard, another neighbor, stated that while the house was burning he was talking to some ladies near the spot, and remarked to them that the fire had been most likely caused by the pipe of some vagrant sleeping in the house. Witness then noticed at his elbowjthe prisoner, who said, “That fire was never caused by smoking; the place has been well 1 tarred before; ” and shortly after disap- ’ peared. Mark Kearbell, a laborer, stated he ‘ met prisoner about 250 yards from the fire, ’ running away from it. When he saw witness > he pulled up to a walk. When he got past • witness, he started running agian. Witness * immediately told the police what he had seen. 1 Constable O’Connor deposed to charging > prisoner, who was then in custody on another ’ case, with this offence. Prisoner said, “ Oh, 3 you are all right, we will see to them things,” • This was the whole of the evidence in the ease. 1 That of the burning of the house on Oxford ter--5 race woe then gone on with. Wm. Bricedepoaed r to being the owner of an empty house on * Oxford terrace, in which a fire took place on 1 the morning of May 30th. It formed one of ® four attached buildings, which cost £2BOO, 1 and were insured in the Eoyal office for £2OOO. ? He resided in one of the houses. Being; f awakened, he got up about 6 o’clock, and 5 found the pantry and larder of the end house j of the block in a blaze. The fire was extin-

guished before spreading much. The damage done would cost £l3O to repair. Vincenzo Berti, licensee of the Foresters’ Arms Hotel, said ho was through the premises where the fire occurred on the morning of the 29th of May, the day before the fire; everything seemed all right there then. Served prisoner with a drink on the night of the 28th. J. M. Connel deposed to going with Constable O’Connor, at 11.30, on the night of May 28th, to the -house in Brice’s Buildings. Went into the water-closet in the yard. O’Connor remained outside. Prisoner was asleep in the closet. ■ Witness described him to O’Connor. They then left together without disturbing prisoner. On the night of the 29th witness visited the house again, without seeing the prisoner. He went back again at about 5 a.m. on the 30th, and looked into the back yard. He smelt fire and saw a light as of fire through the window. Prisoner was standing at the half-open back door. Witness

ran to the police depot, and gave information of what ho had seen. He then gave the alarm at the Brigade station. The firobolla rang immediately afterwards, and the fire was at Brice’s Buildings. His visits to the house was by arrangement with the police. When going to give the alarm, he turned and saw a man of ] about prisoner’s height running eastwards from the house. Had known prisoner two or three years. Had occasion to meet him several times in the last three weeks. Prisoner told witness he slept in the house in Brice’s buildings. He showed the way he entered through a window. Ho said ho obtained food mostly from the cooks at hotels ; failing that he helped himself at m oat safes when ho got a chance, Francis O’Neil deposed that about 5 a.m. on May 30th he was walking westwards along Oxford terrace, near the Hollies’ Store. He met prisoner whom he has known for two years. Prisoner was running in the opposite direction, when he saw witness he pulled _up into a walk, but after passing broke into a run again. Witness went on, and on reaching the City Hotel heard the fire bolls which rang for the fire at Brice’s Buildings. Witness had known prisoner as a loafer about the hotels in Ashburton two years ago. Constable O’Connor stated ho arrested prisoner on May 30th. Prisoner then eaid he had passed the night in the square. On being taken to the scene of the fire prisoner said he had never been there. Witness corroborated the evidence of Connell where it referred to him. This was the wkole of the evidence. Prisoner, who had nothing to say, was then committed for trial at the next sessions of the Supreme Court to be bald at Christchurch.