RESIDENT MAGISTRATE'S COURT, GREYMOUTH.

Grey River Argus, Volume XII, Issue 1216, 21 June 1872, Page 2

RESIDENT MAGISTRATE'S COURT, GREYMOUTH.

, Thursday, June 20. (Before W. H. Revell, Esq., R.M.) Wilful Destruction of Property. — Peter Moller was charged with breaking the windows and doors the property of Elizabeth Stanford. The prisoner presented a most pitiable appearance, having his eyes blackened, his face and wrist cut, and spattered with bloodstains from head to ffoot. The prosecutrix said she lived privately, living on her mother, and denied she was a prostitute. On the previous evening the prisoner came to her house and "kicked at the door, and subsequently broke the glass of one of the front windows. She then came out and saw prisoner standing on the verandah. He called her names, and she went in again, when other three panes of glass came in, and the looking-glass and some ornaments were thrown down off the dressingtable and were broken. She opened the door again, when he rushed at her, but she shut the door. She had known the prisoner for twelve months. He had annoyed her for that period, but she gave him no encouragement. On the occasion complained of she gave him no encouragement. On the occasion complained of she gave him no provocation whatever. The damage done altogether amounted to about L 5. In this she did not reckon a curtain that was dragged out iuto the street and covered with blood. Fredk. Sadler, was called, and proved that he had been in company with prisoner, but had left him a few minutes, when he heard a 1 smash of glass, and on seeing prisoner again his hand was bleeding. Constable Keating said that about halfpast eleven the damage done was reported at the station, and subsequently on the information received he arrested the prisoner. He believed the prosecutrix was kept by a gentleman in town. The same prisoner was then charged by Mary Travers with a similar offence committed at about the same time| by breaking a window valued at 12s 6d. The case was fully proved. In defence the prisoner said he was drunk, and did not know what he was doing. The Magistrate, for the last case, inflicted a fine of L 2, and 12s 6d damages, or one month's imprisonment. For the first case he was fined L 3, and L 4 damages, or one month's imprisonment, to commence at the expiration of the first. Larceny. — Anne Smith was charged with having stolen on the 16th instant the sum of LI 3 2s 6d, the property of Joseph Drake. Mr Newton defended the prisoner. The prosecutor, a sawyer, residing at Marsden, said that he was in town on the 15th, and met defendant, whom he had not knownjjpreviously. He went with her to a house fronting the river and spent half-a-crown for drinks, and then went out in company with prisoner to Sheedy's to pay for his supper. Subsequently h« bought a muffler for prhoner, ; had several drinks with her, and went with her to a house kept by Maggie Williams, where he had supper. He then called for a bottle of brandy, and lay down about eleven o'clock. Subsequently Maggie Williams came in and ordered prisoner to clear out, and attempted to strike her. Prosecutor then interfered on her behalf, when the prisoner ran out. On putting on his coat, directly after this, he found that his money was gone. It was in the morocco leather purse produced, which he subsequently found in the house. There were two L 5, three Ll-notes, and, when he missed it, as far as he remembered,, they were notes of, the Bank of New Zealand. He last saw the money when he changed a note to pay for the brandy. Prisoner at that time took the change out of his hand, and said she would put it away till morning. He stopped in the house all night, and did not see the prisoner again till she was in custody. He got the money from Mr Pollock, of Pollock and Dixun. The Llnotes he knew were on the Bank of New Zealand, but he could not identify them. He recovered the -purae from Maggie Williams on Sunday morning, but there was nothing in it then. The LI and the L 5 notes produced resembled those he had lost. He was not asleep between the time that he went to the house and the row. Prisoner was close to him when he took out the note to pay for the brandy. In cross-examination by Mr Newton, prosecutor denied that he knew the character of the house when he went there. Margaret Williams proved that prisoner came to her house on the 13th, said that she had no money, and asked witness to allow her to stop at her place, which she did. She corroborated the evidence of the prosecutor as to what passed between him and prisoner. Witness heard prisoner caution prosecutor to be careful of his money, aa she (Williams) was- not to be trusted, and she went into the room to chastise her, but was prevented by the man. Prisoner then got up and dressed herself, and went out, and, subsequently, prosecutor said that he had been robbed. Elizabeth Kerr proved that prisoner came tn her house about midnight on Saturday. At the time her clothes were loosely put on, and she was trembling. She proceeded to state that prisoner had money with herat the time. Other evidence, proving the possession of money produced, was given, and the accused was committed for trial, at the next District Court* Lahoeny. — George Thompson, alias Alexander Robinson, was charged with stealing blankets and a watch and chain^ the property of William Alexander. The case was proved, and prisoner was sentenced to one month's imprisonment with hard labor. Some tifling assault cases, and one breach of the Municipal Bye-laws, concluded the business, but the time of the Court was occupied till past fout o'clock.