MAGISTERIAL.

Globe, Volume XXIV, Issue 2514, 28 April 1882, Page 3

MAGISTERIAL.

CHBIBTOHTJBOE. Fbiday, APBiii 27. [Before E. Boetham, Esq., B.M-, B. y Westenra, J.P.] Wife Desertion.—Thos. Bennett, brought up on warrant charged with this offenoe, was remanded to Dunedin to appear on May Ist. > Laboenieb.—Edward Wright was charged | with stealing one pair of boots and one pair of trousers, valued together at 27a, from Timothy Tobin. The parties had, while on the tramp, slept one night in Hagley Park, and afterwards, in the absenoe of Tobin, prisoner had stolen the articles from the swag belonging to him and oleared out. Prisoner was arreßted when trying to pawn the boots. The trousers were found hidden undor some timber. The police represented him to be an incorrigible thief, against whom there were many previous convictions. He was sentenced to six months' imprisonment with hard labor. Jas. Hostler pleadod guilty to stealing a feed for a horse of oats, the property of T. J. Ingram. It appeared that the horse belonged to a former proprietor of the stable, and prisoner had been in the habit of feeding it there. Prisoner was cautioned and discharged. Stealing a Cash-box. George Baker, alias Brennan, was oharged with stealing a cash-box, containing 2s 3£d in cash and some cheques and other valuable papers, the property of Buddie and Partridge. J. W. Buddie deposed that the offices of the firm consisted of two rooms in a right-of-way near Tattersall'e, their wine vaults also opened from the right-of-way. The private office, the inner room, had a back d»or which openod to the right of-way. It was kept looked, all p rsjra frequenting the office had to enter by the front door of the outer office. On April 20;b, about 10.30 a.m., witness had ocoasion to go into the vault, leaving no one in the offices, and, to the best of his beliof, i the baok door looked. While in the cellar he heard footsteps going from the office. He wont up the steps, and, looking out, saw the prisoner near the cellar. Witness thought there was something odd in his appearance, and watohod him till he wont down the right-of-way into Gashel street. Witness shortly afterwards returned to the office. Mr Blundell, his olerk, came in after a few minutes avid asked him if he had lost a cash-box. Witness then saw that the cash-box was not where it had been left, and the back door of the office was found to be unlocked. Blundelltook witness to a urinal in the rear and pointed out the oash box, whioh was lying there unopened. It oontained five cheques, four of which witness produced. There was another, which was now in the Bank at Southbridge. The value of the cheques was £76 7s, and there were 2s and some coppers in the box beeides. T. 8. Blundell, clerk to Buddie and Partridge, deposed to being absent from the office at the time named. On his way baok he had ocoasion to go into the nrinnl, where ho saw the oash box. He went into the offioe by the back door, whioh he found unlocked, and informed Mr Buddie, who then returned with him, and they took possession of the cash box. Edward Mackett, employed at Wilson's seed shop in Gashel street, stated that that uhop is situated at the oorner of the are Buddie and Partridge's offices. The premises look into eooh other. On the 20th instant, at about 11 o'clock a.m. the prisoner went into Wilson's shop and asked witness for a penny to make up the prioe of half a pint of boer. Witness refused. Prisoner went out, and being joined by another man, wont up the right-of-way towards Buddie and Partridge's. Witness not liking the look of prisoner, followed and saw prisoner standing by the door of the office, his mate was not in sight. A minute or two afterwards witness looked from an upper window whioh commanded Buddie and Partridge's back premises, ana the urinal; there was nobody there then. —Sergeant Mason depo:ed that about 11 30 on the 20th instant, a man named Thomas fullivan went to witness at the police depot and reported another man had stolen a cash box. Witness in plain clothes went with Sullivan, and they met prisoner in Colombo street. Sullivan introduced witness to prisoner as a mate of his from the oountry, describing witness as a very good fellow, whom prisoner might trust, and who was good for a shout. Witness oonsented to shout, and the three went towards the Queen's Hotel, witness between the others. On the way Sullivan said to prisoner, "You made a clean job of that." Prisoner said, "Hold your tongue, it ain't much." Sullivan told prisoner ho need not be frightened of witness, who would be of assistance to him. A little further on Sullivan asked prisoner to show him the urinal where he had placed the cash-box. Prisoner shook his fist at Sullivan behind tho baok of witness, and told him to " hush." Witness then told prisoner he was a police officer, and arrested him on tho present charge. After this an alteroation arose between Sullivan and prisoner. Sullivan told prisoner that he had informed on him in revenge for a similar service which previously prisoner hid clone for him. Sullivan then told witness that prisoner had stolen a cash box from an office and had secreted it in a urinal. Prisoner said nothing in denial, but called Sullivan a cur for informing. He tried to esoape, on whioh witness knocked him down and handcuffed him. Witness got the cash-box produoed from Mr Buddie after taking prisoner to several places in order to lind out where the robbery had been committed. In the afternoon of the same day he caused a further information to be laid against prisoner charging him under the Vagrant Act with soliciting alms. On being paraded with some others, prisoner was identified by Mr Buddie as the man whom he had seen hanging about the office in the forenoon. James MoFarlane and B. E. McDougal, clerks at the Bank of New Zealand and Colonial Banks, proved that the cheques whioh were in the cash-box were good for payment. !• ergeant Mason said he would now a9k for a remand till May 6th to produoe the man Sullivan, who had not been seen since the day of prisoner's arrest. The remand was granted accordingly, the charge of vagrancy being withdrawn. Stealing a Watch. Wm. Campbell alias Wm. Beynolds was charged with tho above offoace. Sergeant Mason stated that the watch had been taken from a drunken man. Prisoner had only been in custody for about an hour. He was remanded till tomorrow.

Bcehham School Chii/dbbn —On the application of the master. Mr Maddison, Jno. McKiuley, James McKinley, and George ties], whose terms had expired, and who are orphans, were recommitted to the school till they reach the age of fifteen years. LYTrBLTOIf. Fbidat, Apbiii 28. [Before H. Allwright and J. W. Smith B«q., J. P.'sl Dbbbbting a Ship.—One of the crew of the Austrian barque Trisina, for deserting the vessel, was ordered to be imprisoned until the ship was ready for sea, and then to be put on board. Indecent ExPOstrss —Peter Williams was charged with indecently exposing himself. W. Perkins, a platelayer, working in the tunnel, testified that he was at the Heathcote Valley on Thursday afternoon, and the prisoner, while a little girl was approaching him, he then standing on the roadside, indecently exposed himself. Susan Perkins, daughter of the last witness, gave evidenoe as to seeing the offenoe oommitted. The prisoner, who appeared to be hard of hearing, made a lame exouse, and waß sent to gaol far three months.