RESIDENT MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

Grey River Argus, Volume VII, Issue 451, 3 December 1868, Page 3

RESIDENT MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

Wednesday, November 2. (Before W. H. RevelL Esq., R.M.) Nuisakces. — The following persons, charged with committing nuisances by throwing slops on the footpath, or allowing their horses to be at large, admitted the charge, and were cautioned and discharged, on payment of costs :— W. Sampson, R. Anderson, Mrs James Johnston, Mrs D. Sheedy, Mrs Mary Goff, Martha Woodford, John King, Richard Shannon. and Arthur . For similar offences, D. Buckley and Caroline Cochrane were fined 10s and costs each ; a charge against John Fullarton was dismissed, ;md one against George Martin was withdrawn. Abusive Lahquaqb. — Nicolas George was charged on the information of R. B. Goff with using abusive and insulting language to him on the 25th ult. It appeared that on the afternoon in question the defendant and others had been in the Victoria Hotel "* larking," and defendant's handkerchief was taken from him. The complaint was that he called Mr Goff a thief, and scratched his face when he was turned out. For the defence, it was stated that the words used were " There are thieves in the house," and that they were not applied personally to the complainant. Evidence having been produced on both sides, judgment was reserved until a cross-action was heard, in which Nicolas George charged. Mr and Mrs Goff with having assaulted him on the same day, and under similar circumstances. This cross action was dismissed, and the defendant in the first case was fined £1 and costs. Chabge of Larceny.— The Court was occupied until six o'clock in the evening in hearing a charge against Alexander Chase and Alexander Beaton, of stealing a quantity of wearing apparel from a caseof drapery belonging to Messrs Thompson, Smith, and Barkley, on board the brig Clarendon. The evidence went to show that the case of drapery in question was shipped under bond at Melbourne, and when landed on the wharf here was found to have been opened, 19 pairs of trowsers of the value of £1 each abstracted, and the case nailed up again. The prisoner Chase had two days work on board the Clarendon at the winch, while discharging cargo at the wharf ; so far as the evidence went, Beaton, had noc been on board the vessel, but his mate " Dick," who had eluded the police, worked on board of her both while she was on the spit, and at the wharf. "Dick" and Beaton took lodgings at Chase's house, and after living there two days, the police called to make a search, and found several pairs of the missing trowsers in the room occupied by them. Both Chase and Beaton denied having any knowledge whatever of the theft, or of " Dick," who was an entire stranger to both of them. Chase was discharged, as there was no evidence against him, and after the evidence of Mrs Chase had been heard, the Magistrate discharged Beaton, remarking that he was to a certain extent connected with the other man, " Dick," having lived in the same room with him, both in Chase's and another house, but as there was not sufficient evidence against him to procure a conviction, he would receive the benefit of the doubt. He took the opportunity of. saying that there appeared to have been great negligence on the part of the shipowners, the master, or the person in charge of the vessel, when a robbery of this kind could be committed on board, either while on the spit, or at the wharf.