RESIDENT MAGISTRATE'S COURT, CHRISTCHURCH.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XII, Issue 712, 3 September 1859, Page 5

RESIDENT MAGISTRATE'S COURT, CHRISTCHURCH.

23. (Before John Hall, Esq., R.M.) CHARGE OF FORGERY.

Isaac Levy, a Jew, was- charged with having forged an order of Mr. Robertson McLean's for £11 7s. upon Messrs. Gould and Miles, and with having tittered the same knowing it to be forged. The Sergeant of Police produced the warrant of arrest, and also the order alleged to be forged which was marked A, and the evidence of the first witnesss George Gould was taken as" follows: About three weeks since the order which is now produced and marked A, was presented at our store for payment; Mr. Eowlev the butcher presented it; we "hesitated to honour it as v^e doubted the signature; ■we did, however, cash it;. When Mr. Eobertson McLean arrived from his station a few days after •we ascertained that the order was not genuine. Yesterday week the genuine order, now produced and marked B, was presented by Mr. Latter to me in Lyttelton, but I did not honour it.

Eleanor Olson was next sworn, and deposed as follows: About three weeks ago prisoner and his wife came and staid at my lodging house in Cashel Street, and upon their departure prisoner tendered me the order now produced, which is marked A. I •obtained change from my husband which I think anight amount to about £10, and gave it to prisoner. Examined by prisoner—l think it was a Thursday that you came to my house. You bought a pair of boots out of my husband's shop. I cannot state positively, but I believe the boots were deducted out of the order.

Mr. Robertson McLean deposed to having employed prisoner as a shepherd for two months, and then upon his departure, witness gave prisoner an •order upon Messrs. Gould and Miles for £11 7s. Witness here identified the one produced and marked B, as the order he gave prisoner. The order marked A was then exhibited, which ■witness declared as a forgery. By the Court—Prisoner could have had access to the book containing the blank orders upon Messrs. ■Gould and Miles, which was lyin& in an open desk in my hut. ;'■;'.'.'.

This closed the evidence for the prosecution. The prisoner was then cautioned in the usual (form and asked if he had anything to say in answer •to the charge, and he made a statement in the following1 words: "I was a shepherd at Mr. McLean's station. 'During the two months I was there I was out from .-sunrise-to sunset, and Mr. McLean was scarcely •ever out of his own house, except once a week when he went'down to Turton's on the Ashburton to get 'his mail; 'he used to come home and jaw me about 'his sheep. He was hardly able to stand on these .occasions. I only received one cheque from Mr. McLean, I know nothing about the other cheque. ■He .may have issued that \from spite against me." Prisoner here signed his statement, aud this closed •the examination. • Prisoner was then committed to take his trial at ;the Supreme Court on a charge of forgery. August 26. (Before John Hall, Esq., R. M.) Mek'hior Henry Coombe was fined 20s. for -drunkenness and in default of payment, ordered to be committed for 48 hours, unless, ,&c. August 27. ' (Before John Hall, E*q. ; R. M) ' William Hayes was fined 20s. for drunkenness and disorderly conduct. . Jlohmxt .Johnson was fined 10a,'for drunkenness.

and <iOs. for resisting the police, and in delimit; of j payment to.be imprisoned for M days, unless, &a. A second charge was also .made against tho same .person, of an assault upon police constable Faulkner, while in the execution of his duty. ', P. C. Faulkner deposed as follows. Shortly after dark yesterday evening, I beard prisoner talking through the wall to a person in custody in tho lock-up. I remonstrated with him and told him to go away. He did so, but returned shortly afterwards. I told him again to go away or else I should lock him up. He then struck me in the face with his fist, and ran away. The constable here exhibited marks of the blow, which had cut his lip and chin. Examination continued. —I ran after prisoner and caught him opposite the Fleece. I held him down for some time, but some of his acquaintances came and rescued him from my custody. By tiie Court.—l had my arm in a sling, as I have now, at the time. The prisoner admitted the charge and stated that he should not have done so, had lie not been in drink. The Court considered that the plea prisoner urged in extenuation of his offence was only an aggravation of it, and that the case was so serious as to lead them to think that they should not be exceeding their duty were they to commit prisoner to take his trial at the Supreme Court. They should however punish him summarily, and sentence him to a month's imprisonment with hard labour. Sentenced accordingly. August 30. (Before John Hall, Esq., E. M.) LARCENY. Eegina v. Sherman . In this case the prisoner had been apprehended on the charge stated on the 13th instant, and had been remanded successively to this day, in order to obtain the testimony of Mr. Charles Perceval, and other witnesses for the prosecution. The facts of the case were these. Mr. Perceval, who had formerly employed prisoner, happened to meet him in Christchurch about six weeks ago; prisoner had then just come out of the hospital, and was in a state of health, unfit for work. Mr. Perceval told him that if he wished to go up to his station and there stop for a short time to recover strength he might do so, and make himself useful in any way he could. Prisoner accordingly went and stayed there about a month. Sometime in June, Mr. Perceval gave him notice to leave, and a few • days afterwards met the man in Christchurch; there prisoner asked him for money, and Mr. Perceval gave him a pound. On his return to his station he was informed that prisoner had been into the room where the stores were kept, and had taken a pair of trowsers. Mr. Perceval also deposed that when he saw prisoner afterwards in Christchurch, prisoner made no mention of having taken the trowsers. Prisoner stated that he took the trowsers but with no intent to steal them. Ellen Langridge also deposed to prisoner having asked her, while slse was in service at Mr. Perceval's, for the key of the loft where the stores were kept, for the purpose he stated of getting some sugar. She gave him the key, as it was the custom for the servants to help themselves to clothes or anything as long as Mr. Perceval knew what they had. Prisoner did not tell witness what he had got out of the loft. William Compton deposed to having seen prisoner with two pairs of trowsers in the hut at Mr. Perceval's station, where witness was also a servant. Prisoner told witness that he should put one pair back again, but at first told witness not to say anything about the matter, but afterwards said he should pay Mr. Perceval. , Prisoner stated again that he was guilty of taking the trowsers but not of stealing them, and it was more out of bravo than barm that he told the boy to say nothing about the matter to Mr. Perceval. The Court said that with the evidence before them, though it was by no means satisfactory, they considered the prisoner had intended to defraud Mr. Perceval, and such being the oase, they hoped that the punishment they should inflict would teach the prisoner that he could not steal anything however trifling without detection. Taking' into consideration the time he had been under confinement during the adjournment of the examination, they should sentence him to a month's imprisonment with hard labour. BREACH OF SHEEP ORDINANCE. .-■ Charles John Perceval appeared by his agent, Mr. William Thomson, to answer a charge of possession of 2000 scabby sheep, preferred by Mr. Adams, the Inspector for the north. The charge was admitted, and the penalty of £100 recorded, to be enforced unless a clean certificate be produced by the 3rd day of January, 1860. Charles Harper was fined £5 for non-registration of sheep brand. "The brand in use was that of Mr, Tancred. The Court did not consider that Mr. Harper had complied with the ordinauce, and was therefore liable to the fine. Wednesday, August 31. (Before John Hall, Esq., R.M.) BREACH OF SHEEP ORDINANCE. Eichard Mason admitted a charge of possessing 800 scabby sheep, brought by Mr. Adams. ' Convicted, and the fine of £50 recorded, to be enforced unless a clean certificate be produced by the Ist February, 1860. CHARGE OF ATTEMPT TO COMMIT SUICIDE. REGINA V. JEFFERSON. Accused was brought up on remand, accompanied with a medical certificate as to the state of his mind. The evidence of Mary Cooke on this charge was also taken as follows. I have seen prisoner staying at Mr. Coxhead's, where I am in service. Last Tuesday week in the morning, at his request, I got him something to eat in the kitchen, at Mr. Coxhead's, setting him a plate and knife and fork. He asked me if there was any salvation for him twice, and the second time he held the knife in the direction of his throat but not close to it. I held his band back with the assistance of another man who took the knife from him. Prisoner then ran out and we followed him. I saw him throw himself into the river, and when he regained his footing, he asked again if there was any salvation for him. I told him I thought there was. He was then taken to Mr. Coxhead's, and afterwards to the police station.

Prisoner appeared to be bordering on delirium tremens, brought on by excessive drinking. The certificate of Dr. Parkerson stated that ho considered the prisoner now sane enough to be trusted, and the Court after a severe caution ordered him to be released.