RESIDENT MAGISTRATE’S COURT.

Kumara Times, Issue 2783, 22 August 1885, Page 3

RESIDENT MAGISTRATE’S COURT.

Friday, August 21. [Before J. Giles, Esq., R.M.] LARCENY. George Grant was brought up charged with the larceny of two pairs of wold earrings, one gold-plated brooch of "he value of £2 10s, also one large gold cameo brooch, value £6 10s; in all valued at £9. Sergeant Russell prosecuted, and briefly stated the case. Witnesses were called and evidence taken as follows : Elizabeth Campbell, sworn, said: I reside in Seddon street, Kumara, I I am a widow. I remember Monday, the 10th inst. I remember a man coming into my place with a swag, at about five o’clock in the evening. I identify the prisoner as the same man who came into the house on that occasion ; he was a stranger to me; he came in at the back door, and asked me for a cup of tea. I said I had no tea, but if he would come in and sit down I would make him a cup. I left him, and went out to fetch a loaf of bread and. 21 bs. of bacon, leaving the prisoner in the kitchen. I was away about five minutes. When I returned prisoner was sitting in the same place where he was when I left him. When I went back, he said he would not wait for tea; would I point out to him Mr Ziegler’s hotel. I directed him to Mr Zie"ler’s. I saw the prisoner next day! Tuesday, in the evening, at Bremond’s Hotel; he said that he had come for his swag. On the Friday following, the 14th, at three o’clock in the afternoon, I missed certain articles of jewellery —a gold cameo brooch, a small brooch, and two pair of gold earrings. The articles produced are the same; they were in a top drawer in my bedroom; the earrings were in the case produced. There was also a watch in the same drawer. The drawer was not locked at the time, as I had misplaced the key. There is a passage leading into the kitchen between the parlour and the bedroom. I made inquiries, and IMr Bremond told me be had heard something about it. I went and reported, the circumstances to Sergeant Bussell on the Sunday night. About two hours afterwards Sergeant Puissell showed me the cameo brooch, which I identified as mine. I never wave the prisoner nor anyone else permission to take the jewellery away. I value the whole of the artie'es at about £9 ; they cost more than that. To the Bench : Prisoner said he wanted some tea, but he went away without having any tea. He gave no reason, except that he had to meet a man at Ziegler’s. Prisoner, to his "Worship; Is this woman on her oath 1 Witness: Yes. Prisoner, to witness : Did you not say “Hiilln! Jack 1 ?” Witness, to the Court : I never saw prison©' before. Cross-examined by prisoner : You did not ask me t» carry your swag into my house. You did not, ask nm if j was going to shout, You said you hue

no money—that y-m were both hungry and thirsty. You never gave me a sixpence when you went away. A little boy, a son of Mr Williams, blacksmith, about three years old, came back with me. I brought back with me a loaf of broad, 2 lbs. of bacon and sixpennyworth of baer. I earned the things back. You had a glass of beer before you went away. I did not give you any money or change wnen I came back ; you had no money. I did not drink any of the beer myse . 1C not tell you who was living in the house. I did not tell you to clear out. Michael Preston, sworn, said : i am a cook in the employ of Mr Spmdeler, of the Crown Hotel, Kmnara. I have seen the prisoner before. I was m Mr S]>indoler’s Hotel on Monday, the 10th inst., in the bar, between eight or nine o’clock in the evening. There were some men in the bar, among whom were two strangers. I believe the prisoner was one of them- ** nc others shouted for those in tle ar. It was stated in the prisoner’s hearing, that he had jewellery for sale. Pj' 1 - soner took me into the parlour, oil the bar; he then pulled a case out ot Ins pocket and opened it ; theie weie in the case two pair of earrings an a small brooch. The articles produced I believe to be the same. I saw on y one brooch ; he said he wanted to se them. I said “ you can have ten shillings on them.” He said “All ng t, I changed a pound in the bar, and gave the prisoner ten shillings. The man was a perfect stranger to me. I lett the articles in the bar, in the case, as they were. X had not the least sus picion of their being stolen. I up the articles to Sergeant Russell on Sunday night. The large brooch was not among the articles. Prisoner, in answer to the Court, said he had no questions to put to this witness.

Jean Spindeler, sworn, said : I am licensee of the Crown Hotel, Kiuunm. I have -seen the prisoner before; it was on Monday, the 18th inst. ; he was in the bar on the evening of that day. Mrs Spindeler was in the bar at the time. I became aware next day that Michael Preston, the cook, had bought some jewellery ; the earrings produced and the case are the same.

Prisoner, in reply to the Court, said he had no questions to ask witness. Bazil Bremond, sworn, said : I am an hotel-keeper ; the name of my house is Breraond’s Plotel, in Seddon street. I have seen the prisoner before ; I remember Monday, the 10th inst. ; he was In my house on that day, between a quarter and half-past five o clock in the evening. He had a swag with him. He had two or three drinks there ; he stopped about three-quarters of an hour. He left his swag in the bar. Before leaving he asked me if he could have a shake down. I said he could, I did not see him again until five o’clock the next evening. When he came back he told me he was just out of the lock-up. He told me he wanted to go to Brunnerton ; could I oblige him with a few shillings by his giving security ; he said it was an article of jewellery. He took away his swag into the back parlour and came into the bar, and showed me a brooch. The large cameo brooch produced is the same. I asked him if the transaction was genuine. He said, Yes, Sergeant Bussell had had the brooch in his hand on the previous night in the lock-up. I lent him 7s 6d on the brooch, and asked him to give me a receipt. He wrote a receipt for £l, saying he might want something in the morning. The receipt produced is the same. He told me he got the brooch in Christchurch ; also that the night before he had sold some earrings. He told me to keep the brooch for one month ; if np to then I did not claim it, I could after that do what I liked with it. He then took his swag and went away. Prisoner is a perfect stranger to me.

To the prisoner : T believe you spent a shilling or two on the first day. I did not think yon were drunk, you were talking very sensibly. Albert Russell, sworn said : I am a Sergeant of Police. On Sunday night, the IGth ins;., 1 was informed by Mrs Onmp'ocdl of her having been robbed. Prom information I received I suspected the prison-'!’, who about this time had been twice charged with being drunk. Witness narrated how ho recovered the stub n property, and the articles being identified by Mrs Can:;.bell as hors. Prisoner was at the time undergoing a sen tenon in Hokirika Gan! for being drank and disorderly bore. Prisoner a ad no jc .veilcry an him on either oecas.on of his being tak. n to - ho Pc':-up. In reply to the Court, prisoner said he ’.lid not wish to ask this witness any questions. JTis Worship asked the prisoner if '.p .ip V ■' l f'si i pi i 'ii .is’;* Oi' nr-V-

ing him that whale'er he might say would be taken down and used as evidence against him in the Supreme Court.

The prisoner said ; I came from about six miles the other side of the Taipo. I had 23s or 24s when I came to Diliman’s Town. I spent most of it there. When I got opposite this Mrs Campbell's bouse she sung out “ Hallo ! Jack ! how are you ?” I wheeled about and threw down my swag on the side of the footpath. The woman asked me to have a glass of of beer. I went in. She commenced laughing, then ran out and brought my swag in. I said I had no money to spare, as I had only a few shillings in my possession. I said I did not mind shouting a shilling’s worth of beer. She went away for this shilling’s worth of beer. She was away a good while ; perhaps about an hour. I was pretty well drunk, your Worship. We drank the beer between us. I forget how much money I gave her when she went away for the beer ; but 1 got some change back. She said “ is getting late; my bloke will be coming home at six o’clock.” If the woman had not accosted me in the street I would have been away about my business. I may just state that Ido not make my monSy by thieving. His Worship : I do not want to hear that; it is argument, not evidence. Have you anything more to say 1 Prisoner: I have nothing more to say. His Worship : You are committed to take your trial at the next sitting of the Supreme Court at Hokitika. This closed the business of the Resident Magistrate’s Court.