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Grey River Argus, Volume IX, Issue 604, 30 November 1869, Page 2

Monday, November 2T. (Before W. H. Revell, Esq., R.M.) Drvnk E nness. — Thos. Warren , charged with having been drunk and disorderly, was discharged, as he had been locked up since Saturday night. Strayed Horses, — The following persons were fined for allowing their horses to stray in the streets : — Henry M'Gill, Martin Kennedy, William Jones, and William Lind, 10s each and costs, and Andrew Agnew; 15s and costs. Destruction of Property. — Samuel Hill v. Mrs Ganders, South Beach. — This was a summons for the wilful and malicious destruction of a number of cabbages. The defendaut did not appear. The complainant asked to have the case withdrawn after he had given his evidence. The Magistrate would not consent to such a proceeding, and fined the defendant 10s and costs. FORGERY, &C. William Thompton was charged with obtaining L 6 by means of false pretences, from Frederick Austin, on the 20th inst. Frederick Austin, butcher : The prisoner has been in the habit of dealing at my shop for meat, and was, indebted to me L 4 3s lid. On Saturday night, the 20th inst., he came to the shop to settle the account, and gave me this cheque for Ll4, signed Edward Thompson. Knowing he went -by the name of William Thompson, ; I asked whose name this was, and he said it was his own. He also said he had got a cheque that day from Mr Parkinson, and being more than he required, he had placed the balance in the bauk. I said I could not give him ihe full balance, as it.

would leave me without change, and he asked me to give him a few pounds to give the men some. I gave him aLS note and a LI note, and promised him the balance on Monday morning. On Sunday morning he came again and asked 5s more, which I trave him, and he did not come back on> Monday for the balance. I knew he had been working for Mr Parkinson, and I. believed his statement. I presented the cheque on Monday morning at the Bank of Ne»v South Wales, when the answer was "No account." I gave the cheque over to the police, The one now produced is the same. ' . Theodore Horton, clerk at the Bank of New South Wales, proved the presentation of tho cheque, arid there being no account at the bank in the name of Edward Thompson. The prisoner had nothing to say, and was committed for trial to the Supreme Court; I The same prisoner was charged on the information of Samuel George Rich, with forging and uttering. Samuel G. Rich, publican : The prisoner called on me on Sunday, the 21st inst., to cash the cheque produced for LlO, drawn on the Bank of New Zealand, and purporting to be signed " J. W. Parkinson." He said he got it late on Saturday night from Mr Parkinson, too late to cash it, and he had been engaged during that clay assisting to get a raft of timber down the river. I gave him L 6, and promised him the balance on Monday morning. He endorsed the cheque "William Thompson," He did not call for the balance. I handed the cheque over to a Mr Deighton to get it cashed. Ha returned it to me with the endorsement on it "signature unknown." I knew that the prisoner was employed by Mr Parkinson, otherwise 1 would not have cashed the cheque. I believed it to be a genuine cheque. Frank Musgrove Deighton, clerk in Hokitika: On the 21st and 22nd inst. I was in Greymouth. I received the cheque now shown me from the last witness on Monday morning to get it cashed for him. I presented it at the Bank of New Zealand, and got it returned, endorsed "signature unknown." I returned it to Mr Rich. John W. Parkinson, stationer, and part proprietor of a sawmill : The prisoner has been employed at the mill about a month supplying it with logs. I never gave: him authority to sign cheques on my behalf. The signature to the cheque produced is not mine. I know the prisoner's handwriting. The body of the cheque is written by him, but I cannot swear to the signature. It is an imitation of my signature, but not a good one. I had no account at the Bank of New Zealand on the 20th instant. I had formerly, but now at the Bank of New South Wales. Mr Rich brought the cheque to me on Monday, the 22nd, and asked if it bore my signature. lat once aaid "No." I was not indebted to the prisoner on the 20th ; his account with me was overdrawn. Previously I had given him one or more cheques. John M. Butt, ledger-keeper at the Bank of New Zealand, proved- the presentation of the cheque, and its return because the sicn '.tare was unknown. J. W. Parkinson re-called : lam not aware there is any other person of the same name as my own residing in Greymouth. I have been here nearly four years. The prisoaer asked no questions, and had nothing to say. He was committed to the Supreme Court for trial. The same prisoner was further charged on the information of Win. Jones, with forging and uttering a cheque for Ll4. Win. Jones, baker : On Saturday, the 13th instant, the prisoner came to my shop and asked me to cash a cheque on the Bank of New South Wales for Ll4, signed by J. W. Parkinson. He owed me L 4, and he wished me to take out of it only L 2 11s, because he owned men who were working with him getting timber some money. 1 gave him Lll 9s in notes and silver. The- week previous he told me he would bring Parkinson's cheque first, on Saturday. When he gave it to me Tasked him if that wa3 Mr Parkinson's cheque, and he said it was. I had no change in the shop, but Mr D. M'Lean, grocer, cashed the cheque for me. On Monday morning, I endorsed the cheque at M'Lean' s request. I got it back again from M'Lean, and took it to Mr Parkinson. He said it was not his signature. I found the prisoner, and took him to Parkinson's shop. Before this I accused the prisoner of forging Parkinson's name, when he said Parkinson gave him permission to write out orders. I said there was a difference between orders and cheques, when he said he thought they were all the same. At the shop, when the three of us were present, I produced the cheque, when Parkinson denied the signature. I said the man had forged his name. Parkinson said he was sure the man had d'»ne it through perfect ignorance, and therefore he offered me an order for LlB, the full amount the prisoner owed me, including the cash I had advanced. Mr Parkinson said there was nothing owing to the prisoner then, but that amount would be owing to him, and he would stop it for my order As I was going out Parkinson said "Thompson get hold of that cheque," but I said "No, I'll keep both cheque and order, too," and so I did, till I handed it over to Mr Sub-Inspector James on. the 22nd instant. I have not been paid the u mount, of the order. Duncan M'Lean, storekeeper : I cashed the cheque produced for the last witness. I was acquainted with Mr Parkinson's signature, and did not like the one on the cheque. I said so to Mr Jones, and he replied that he would make it all right to me. Early on Monday morning, the prisoner came to me, and asked me not to present the cheque until after twelve o'clock, as he had a deposit which he would transfer to a running account. I said "that has nothing to do with this cheque." Prisoner said he had been authorised to write out cheques — it might have been orders, but I cannot remember. He also said he was going into partnership with Parkinson, and was authorised to sign gcheques and pay the men by cheques for what work was done. I sent I the cheque to Parkinson, who said it was i a forgery. I afterwards returned it to ! Jones, and received the cash. J. W. Parkinson : The prisoner was not a partner of mine on the 13th inst., but merely a contractor to supply logs. He had no power to sign cheques, but I gave him the power of signing orders conditionally. The remainder of the evidence unimportant. The prisoner wa^3 committed for trial. "