CRIME IN OTAGO.

Kumara Times, Issue 1102, 12 April 1880, Page 3

CRIME IN OTAGO.

+ Judge Williams, in bis charge, regretted that the calendar was one of the heaviest for many years. In a considerable majority of the casas the crimes were traceable directly to the drunken habits unfortunately prevalent in the Colony. He spoke of Butler’s case as one standing alone iu its horrible pre-eminence. Crimes of its kind, fortunately for human nature, were exceptional and could not be accounted for by any investigation of Social forces and influences as operating on ordinary men. The Grand Jury have returned true Bills in the following cases—prisoners pleaded not guilty : Ernest Sydney and James Henry Conway, both lads, three months for robbery ; Edward Featherstone and James Murphy, for robbery, one year ; Henry Fell, forgery, two years; Janies Midgely, cutting and wounding, 18 months. They discharged the bill against Robert Sewell for cutting and wounding. William Mathilson was convicted of robbery, and received two years. Butler’s case will be taken on Thursday. James Gibson, for larceny, received six months. The Grand Jury threw out the - bills in the cases of William Chalmers and John Mowatt for robbery, and David M'Neill for highway robbery. William Malheson, charged with stealing from a dwelling, was sentenced to two years’ hard labor. John Christie for horse-stealing, was found not guilty and discharged. M'Laughlan, charged with the manslaughter of James Robinson near Roxburgh, was found not : guilty and discharged.