RESIDENT MAGISTRATE'S COURT, GREYMOUTH.

Grey River Argus, Volume V, Issue 355, 23 April 1868, Page 2

RESIDENT MAGISTRATE'S COURT, GREYMOUTH.

(Before W. H. Revell, Esq., R.M.) Tuesday, April 21. Drunkenness.— J. M'Quale and W. Stephens were each fined 10a and costs, for drunkenness and disorderly conduct. PERMITTING UNLAWFUL GAMES. Jules Guerin, landlord of the Victoria Hotel, was charged with having, on Sunday evening last, permitted card playing in his licensed house, contrary to the statute in such case made and provided. It was proved on the evidence of Constable Slattery, that on the evening in question he saw four or five persons playing cards in a room behind the bar. He couldn't say what they were playing for ; there was no drinking going on. The defendant admitted that a few persons were playing for drinks ; there was no gambling going on, and he was not aware they were doing wrong. The Magistrate remarked that cardplaying in public-houses was contrary to law, especially on Sundays. The defendant was fined ,£1 and costs. John Harris and Patrick Crawford were each charged with a similar offence, and fined £1. It was not proved in either case that gambling had been going on. Using Abusive Language. —Margaret Glass charged Mrs Callan with having used violent and abusive language towards her. Mr Guinness appeared for the plaintiff and Mr Perkins for the defendant. The plaintiff stated that she was sitting in Geisking's Hotel, Richmond Quay, when the defendant came in and asked for brandy. While drinking it she turned to plaintiff and called her the "notorious Margaret Little," ' 'a murderess, "and many foul names, and wound up by threatoning to tear plaintiff "limb from limb, dance upon her, and fling her into the surf." — Geisking corroborated the evidence of the complainant. The defendant, who pleaded that she was the worse for drink, was fined £2 and costs. Chase v. Margaret Phillips. — The plaintiff who is a colored man, charged the plaintiff, landlady of the Ballarat and Bendigo Hotel, with having used violent and abusive language towards him, calculated to provoke a breach of the peace. Mr Perkins appeared for the plaintiff, and Mr Guinness for the defendant. The evidence for the plaintiff was to the effect that the defendant had accused a son of the plaintiff's, who wa3 in defendant's employ, of stealing some spoons. The plaintiff went to the defendant's house to enquire into the matter, and some words arose during ■which the defendant called the plaintiff ai " black ," and used other offensive epithets. The jdaintifPs statement was borne out by that of the son. The defendant, who stoutly denied the charge, produced two witnesses, females residing in the house, who swore exactly the opposite of the evidence of the complainant. One of the witnesses named Harrison conducted herself so improperly in the witness box that the Magistrate committed her .to the lock up for contempt of Court, and the case was adjourned until next day. Another case, brought by the same plaiutiff, against Mrs Phillips, for assaulting his son, was gone into, and dismissed with costs.