AHAURA.

Grey River Argus, Volume IX, Issue 725, 10 September 1870, Page 4

AHAURA.

Thursday, August 8. (Before C. Whitefoord, Esq., R.M.) Georgo Kelly and Catherine Woolfo were charged with stealing 21oz 33dwt of gold from the person of Thomas Cavan at Antonio Flat on the 2nd September. Tho prosecutor is a miner, and on the above day he came into Antonio Flat from Maori Gully, ou the SaddJe. He went, in company ivitti an acquaintance of his named Murphy, a shoemaker, to the female prisoner's husband's store, and after having a good deal to drink, had supper. After supper cards were introduced, and the gold was in Cavan's possession up to a certain time, when Kelly, Murphy, and prisoner's husband were playing cards, and the prosecutor and the female prisoner were sitting at the fire. Cavan said that he fell asleep, and when he did Mr Woolfe was still sitting alongside him. When he was roused up by Murphy he missed the gold. Murphy said that while Kelly, Woolfe, and himself were playing at cards, Woolfe told his wife to- go to bed, which she dks, and | }effc O.ivan sitting by himself at the five, j Shortly afterwards Kelly left the card ] party, and sat down by the prosecutor. Murphy went on to say that Woolfe and himself continued playing, but after some time they had a quarrel { they left off, and went to the fire, at either side of which Cavan and the prisoner Kelly were sitting. He woke up Kelly with the intention of taking him home, and then the gold was missed. He (Murphy) then made a rush, locked the front door, and put the key in his pocket. He then put his back to the back door, and told Woolfe (tho female prisoner's " husband) that no one should leave the house unt'l they had been searched, or until the gold was found. The male prisoner did not object— he was stupidly drunk— and a thorough search was then made inside and outside the house, but the gold was not found, and iv the morning the prisoners lvere given in charge. It was contended for the defence that in a place such as the one where the robbery was alleged to ha^ve taken place, where every one had free ingress and egress, any other persons than the accused might have stolen the gold. Every one iv the place appeared to •be more or less under the influence of drink and the prosecutor worst of all, and it was argued that he may have "planted" his gold and forgotten where he has hid it. His Worship, after expressing his satisfaction with the witness Murphy's creditable conduct, gave the prisoners the benefit of the doubt, and discharged them. Mr Davies .appeared for the female prisoner. Sly-Grog Selling. — Joseph Woolfe was charged with a broach of the Licensiug Regulations, by exposing spirituous liquors for sale at his store, at Antonio's Flat. — Constable Dorris proved the exposure and seizure of the liquor on defendant's premises, on the day he mentioued. — The two persons in the previous case — Thomas Cavan and Maurice Murphy — proved having and paying for liquor at defendant's house. — The Bench, after reading the defendant a severe lecture and cau- . tioning him as to how he allowed his house to be conducted for the future, fined him LlO, wilh L 3 costs, or two months' imprisonment. The fine was paid. Mr Davies .for def en d ant. CIVIL CASES. Davies v. Wilson. — A fraud summons. Judgment had been obtained against defendant some time ago for L 9 125. 10 d. Defendant was examined as to his ability to pay. He admitted receiving a dividend of over L3l from his claim in Callaghan's Creek, and also that he received the money from one of his partners to settle the account, but neglected to do so. — His Worship said that it did not necessarily follow hi every case that a man should be imprisoned because he was wnvxMe to satisfy the arrest of a judgment ; but in this case the defendant, by his own showing, had the money and spent it in drink. He would make an order that L 5 be paid at once, and the balance within one mouthy or 14 days' imprisonment. Same v. Gore M'Kenna. — A fraud summons. The evidence in this case was similar to that given in the last. The original amount was 18s. Defendant, at the lii-3t hearing, confessed judgment. He had since received a dividend of L3l. An order was made to pay Ll per week, or 14 days' imprisonment. Johnson v. Marsh.— Claim for L 56 16s 3d. Enlarged. Mackley v. M'Mahon, Wright v. Gordon, Byrne v. Madden, and Pear v. , Coffey, were enlarged. The Court adjourned to 22nd Sept.

Therewere no cases before the Warden's Court.