RESIDENT MAGISTRATES COURT.

Kumara Times, Issue 1358, 7 February 1881, Page 2

RESIDENT MAGISTRATES COURT .

Monday, February ?. i [Before E> BaTff, Esq., JvP.J Jane Brown was charged that she did ' feloniously steal, take, and carry away ' from and off the person of one Joseph * Tommesina, of Waimea, a purse containing a deposit receipt on the Union Bank of Australia for the sum of L2O, one £5 note, two £1 notes; half-a-sovereign, one lady's ring, and eight pieces of gold of the value, in all, of the sum of £BO 5s sterling, the property of the said Joseph Tommesina. Sergeant Emmerson conducted the case on behalf of the police) and called the fbh lowing evidence : Joseph Tommesina, being sworn, de* posed : I am a miner, residing in Greek's Gully, No. 1, Waimea district, 1 know ' the prisoner. On Saturday last, I came up from the Waimea to Kumara, about six o'clock in the evening. After tes> "t went up to Bremond's Hotel, in Seddon street, and I met the prisoner and Mrs Campbell there. I ordered drinks for thf? prisoner, Mr Bremorid, and Mrs Campi* bell. I think I "shouted" twice/ f * ■•■■ went with the prisoner and Mrs Gamp"*, bell to their house in Seddott Either Mrs Campbell or the prisonerasked me to go to the house. About a-quarter-of-an-hour before I left Bremohd'tf Hotel, I took out my purse and took'a : £1 note out of it, and gave it to the bar- [ maid to pay for the drinks, and received i the change a half-sovereign and some [silver. I put the half-sovereign into my purse, and the silver in my pocket. . I . put my purse into my pocket; it contained a £9 note two £1 notes, half-a-sovereign, one gold ring, some nuggets, of. gold, and a deposit; receipt for £2O. I am sure I : had all-the articles, I have stated when I went to the house with the prisoner. I identify the purse produced, '■ also the tickets for the Hokitika Hospital, which: were inside the purse when I lost it,' also .a receipt for sbhool "rates. --Iidentify the £5 note produced, also the two £1 notes and half-a-sovereign as my ' property. The deposit- receipt produced, •'■" ■ for £2O, I lud in my purse whehf <#*&&<&' into Mrs. Campbell's. -I swear to the-rlng i-£ produced as also being in my purse at thV-';--tirae. The nuggets produced, are also my * property. I authorised no person to take • my purse when I was in. Mrs Campbell's; • : the purse was in my trousers-pocket. I: ■-.> missed the articles -and. .money after Jkhad been in the hotise about hour. When I missed the money, I was in prisoner's in -the bedroom. I am quite sure I had my purse when I went into the bedroom with the prisoner. I missed the purse and money, before I left the bedroom. When I went into the house, I borrowed five shillings from Mrs Campbell My reason for borrowing' the money was that I did not want any person to see my purse. I accused the prisoner of taking my purse; but she denied it. I called in Mrs Campbell, and said: that the prisoner Had taken my purse. The prisoner tried to get out of the room, and I held her by the arm. I held her because I wanted to get my purse ; but I did not get it. The prisoner got away from me, and went out of the room. I think she got through a hole in the floor. The prisoner tried to scratch my face before she went through the hole in the floor. After the prisoner went through the hole in the floor, she returned l by the door. I would not allow either of the women to leave the room until I got my purse, so I held both with my hands for awhile. After I got out of Mrs Campbell's house, I was struck in the eye. Two other men struck me also. Ido not think I struck the prisoner. I should not know the man who struck me.

To prisoner : I was not singing with the barmaid. I followed you and Mrs Campbell from Mr Bremond's. >I did not kick or beat you. I did not see you take my purse. I did not throw you on the bed in the bedroom.

To the Court: When I was struggling with prisoner, she fell down. We were both pretty rough when we were scuffling. Annie Wells, being sworn, deposed: I am servant at Bremond's Hotel, Seddon'. street. Iknow the last witness. "I saw him on Saturday night at Bremond's. l It was between four and seven o'clock thatthe prosecutor came in, I know. the prisoner. The prosecutor was in Brer mond's before the prisoner arrived. The prosecutor was only there a few minute* before the prisoner and Mtb Campbell - arrived, and when they came, they were] all together in the Bame room. The secutor "shouted" for Mrs and the prisoner three or four times. *' prosecutor was drinking beer all the time. SL* There was a man named De Lacy, a Mrs:/' Hogan, and a Mrs Bird also whom the prisoner "shouted" for. < Mr*i Bremond was not present. Mrs Bird leftG the hotel first, and Mrs Campbell and the prisoner left last. The prosecutor left the house and stood in the road, talking to ' some men, after which he followed Mrs Campbell and the prisoner. I heard Mrs Campbell saying to Tdtameranflu* she

toad a musical box at home if he would 'comeup* As. he was singing. Tommesina toaid )M the drinks he ordered before he left tbl hotel* Be paid me 2s, then Bs 6d, SndTthen he changed a £1 note to pay me%. I remember that I gave him 18s change, but whether it was all silver <or hot, Ido not know. He was near the parfor door wherihe paid me. Tommeisina took the £1; note out of a purse to ' pay me for the last drinks. I observed that there were more notes in the purse tot the time The prisoner could not see him take the money out of his purse, or Mtb Campbell either, from where they were standing. Tommesina put the silver I gjave him into his trousers pocket. He did not take out his purse after he gave toe the £1 note. The prosecutor was Sober at the time. To prisoner: I was singing with the prosecutor at Bremond's Hotel. John Nash) being sworn, deposed : I am a constable of police. I know the From information I received I searched Mrs Campbell's house while the prisoner was there, between half-past bine and ten o'clock that night. Tommesina pointed out a room to me as the room he was in with the prisoner when he missed his purse. In company with Constable Chambers t searched Mrs Campbell's bedroom. We could find neither purse nor money* We then searched the parlor. Mrs Campbell, who was with us fisked us to search the bedroom again, and give a .better search as Tommesina might have dropped the purse. We went into the bedroom again and at Mrs Campbell's' suggestion and searched the hedelothescaref ully. We then searched under thebed^fand[in the far corner, under the bed; ampflgst some dirty linen, I found a puree. •- Just' prior to this, the prisoner Wad come in from the kitchen and remained only a short time. Outside the dirty linen where the purse was found was a case of applet I am almost certain this linen had been searched by us previously. There was something peculiar in Mrs Campbell's manner when she told ms to search again. The purse which has been produced in Court is the one I found there* X noticed the band of elastic was not around the purse when it was found, but appeared as if the purse had been opened. I took the purse back to the kitchen where the prisoner and prosecutor' were and he identified it as his property. I examined the purse, and found it contained the property produced In Court. The proseoutor also identified the property found in the pttrse. I arrested the prisoner on a charge of larceny. The prisoner does not bear a very good character. The house where I arrested the prisoner does not bear a good character. There was a hole .under the bed, where I found the purse ; but a woman would have a difficulty in getting through it* Mrs Campbell had plenty of opportunities to go in the bedroom after I had searched it the first time, while Constable Chambers and I were in the parlor. This concluded the case for the prosecution;' The prisoner offered no defence, but called Mrs Campbell as a witness, who,' however, on her appearing, prisoner clined to question* The prisoner Was then committed for trial at the next sitting of the Supreme Court in fiokitika ; bail 1 being allowed herself in one surety of and two Burittea of £SO each.