Police Intelligence.

Lake Wakatip Mail, Volume I, Issue 36, 2 September 1863, Page 5

Police Intelligence.

POLICE COURT, QUEENSTOWN. (Before R. Beetham, Esq., R.M.) Tuesday j September 1.

Stealing a Watch.—Henry Young was charged by James VVylie with stealing a watch, his property, value £5. Prisoner pleaded not guilty. James Wylie said he was cook at Bracken's Hotel, and on Friday night he went to bed about eleven o'clock, placing his watch and chain under his head. The prisoner came into the room and turned into a bunk underneath where he was The waiter turned him out because it belonged to another man. Iu the morning about seven o'clock, he missed the watch, after he got up. Ha rose, lit the kitchen fire, and when he returned to his room the watch was gone, and so was the prisoner. Told Mr. Bracken that he had lost the watch, who immediately caused inquiries to be made. About half an hour after he had spoken to Mr. Bracken he went into the bar, saw the prisoner, and held him while he was searched. The watch produced in Court was the one found on him, and he recognised it as his property. There was no chain on the watch when it was taken from the prisoner, although there was when lie put it under his head the previous evening. Valued the watch at more than £5.

H. W. Bracken, sworn, said he was an hotelkeeper, resident in Queenstown. On Friday evening, the 28th instant, the prisoner came into the bar of his hotel and remained there for some time. He was rather disorderly, and was put out three or four times. The last time was about ten o'clock, and he did not see the prisoner again till next morning, lie must have got into the bedroom through the concert-room. On the 28th, when he got up. the cook informed him that he had lost his watch. Made enquiries tts to who slept there that night, and the cook described to him. He went into the bedroom without any authority. About eight o'clock on Saturday morning the prisoner came to the dorr and he brought him in and searched him, when he found the watch produced in Court in his pocket. James VVylie, who was there at the time, recognised it as his own. Gave the prisoner in charge. Sergeant Naden said he was summoned to Bracken's Hotel, and took the prisoner in charge. By Prisoner—When I saw you, you were standing in the bar with Mr. Bracken, and the prosecutor standing in front of you. Ido not know whether you gave the watch up, or whether Mi. Bracken took it. The watch was handed to me by Mr. Bracken. The Prisoner, who reserved his defence, Was committed for trial.

The same prisoner was charged with stealing a pair of boots, the property of Thomas Smith. He pleaded not guilty. The prosecutor, sworn, stated that he slept at Bracken's Hotel on the night of the 28th August and put his boots underneath his bunk. On rising the next morning he found his boots gone, and an old pair left in their stead. The next time he saw them was at about 9 o'clock on the prisoner's feet. Hid not know who left the room first in the morning, as he was asleep ; but when he awoke all the others were up. Could swear to the boots ; those produced in court were his. The prisoner had just come into the hotel for a drink, when he noticed his boots on the prisoner's feet. Mr. Bracken had just searched him and found the watch. Prisoner wanted to return the boots, but Mr. Bracken insisted on giving him into custody. By the Prisoner—l did not tell you to put on the boots, as you could not find your own, and raise a pound or two on the watch to get a bottle of grog with. I did not take the watch from under my head and give it to you. I did not see you get up.

H. W. Bracken, sworn, said on Friday night last Thomas Smith went to bed along with his own servants. The was nobody sleeping in the room but his servants, one boarder, and Smith. The prisoner had no authority to sleep there. About 8 o'clock on the following morning he went in the room and found the prosecutor sleeping. Told him to get up, which he did, and then complained of having lost his boots. From information he then received from the servants, he learnt d that the prisoner had slept there that night, and he must have taken the boots along with the watch. While searching the prisoner on Saturday morning, the prosecutor identified the boots. Prisoner said he only took the loan of them, and wanted to take them off, but he would not let him. Sergeant Naden then came and took him into custody. By Prisoner—There were three servants, one boarder, and Smith there; you were the sixth, but you had no right to be there. James Wylie stated that he was cook at the Queen's Arms. When he got up on Saturday morning he found his watch gone, and on making inquiry learned that the prisoner was the only one who had lelt. " Rough and Tumble," (the prosecutor) was then getting up, who told him he had lost his boots. Was in the bar when the prosecutor claimed the boots on prisoner's feet as his.

The prisoner, in defence, asked his worship whether he thought it likely he would go back to the hotel if he knew he had stolen the articles found on him? The prosecutor gave him the watch to raise some money on, to purchase some grog, and lent him the boots as he had lost his own. He went to a store opposite Smith's, but they refused to lend him the money, and he then returned, when he was seized. He never knew " Hough and Tumble " before that day. Sergeant Naden stated that he arrested the prisoner at Bracken's Hotel on Saturday morning. Prisoner made no remark at the time

about the watch and the boots being given to j him.

j His Worship said that the prisoner had merely proved the risks that men were willing to run • for the sake of drink. He considered the guilt of the prisoner as fully proved, and should sen- ; tence him to one month's imprisonment. Kenneth Charles Guthrie was charged with j stealing a hopper-plate. The prisoner pleaded : not guilty. ! Thomas Begg, sworn, said he was a blacksmith, residing in Queenstown. On or about j the 11th August prisoner came and bargained I for a hopper-plate, which he agreed to take for | 12s. He subsequently left a parcel, which he i said he would call for, together with the plate. ' About half-past 5 o'clock witness went to his supper, and left the door of the smithy partly I open. His mate, Alexander M'Lachlan, after- ' wards came in and drew his attention to the absence of the plate and parcel, asking whether it had been paid for. He did not see the pri- : soner after that till last Monday, when he saw I him standing outside Toepfer, the tobacconist's door. On bei|g asked whether he would pay the money, prisoner averred that he had paid I for it—lss 6d. He was then given into custody I Alex. M'Lachlan gave evidence corroborative i of the above. His Worship—lt is not worth while pursuing I the inquiry further. Allowing what the prose- ; cutor says to be true, there is no case against i the prisoner. *He makes an arrangement for jan article, calls, and without paying for it, I takes it away. The prosecutor must lay an information for illegal possession. The prisoner is ; discharged. Police v. Jessie M'Leod.—No appearancecase dismissed. I Cohen v. Same.—This was a charge of assault. I Defendant pleaded not guilty. Henry Cohen, sworn, said he was a store- | keeper in Queenstown. On the 24th August he I was in at Rowley's, when Miss M'Leod came in I and accused him of calling her names the night j before. He denied it, when she got very violent j and threw a bottle of ink at him, which stained his clothes. Mr. Barter tried to stop the row, , which he ultimately succeeded in doing. He ! only wanted her to keep the peace. I Mr. Campbell—What was the conversation I that passed ? Mr. Cohen—She asked me if I had been there the previous night. I said No ; when she asked ;me what I had been saying about her. I said ; Nothing. I did not make use of any bad lan- | gnage. George Barter, sworn, said he was manager of j Kowley's Express in Queenstown. Remembered l plaintiff being at his place on the 24th. Miss j M'Leod accused him of speaking against her the night before. Words ensued, and the ink bottle j Was thrown, but by whom or at whom he could ! not say. By Mr. Campbell—Every word spoken in one place can be heard in the other. Defendant, sworn, said she was a restaurant keeper. On the Sunday before the alleged assault, in the evening, she was sitting in her own house reading, when she heard plaintiff abusing j her, and asking why Rowley did not shut up j " that dirty shanty next door." The next night ; she was in at Rowley's to get a book, when he i again abused her, and called her a b . He | had got a number of other Jews to annoy her in I the street, bhe would not be insulted by a boy. His Worship said she must not take the law j into her own hands, whatever the provocation. I He should fine her 20s.

To " stick in the mud " is a very common expression, and unfortunately its realization is of very frequent occurrence in and around Invercargill at the present time. The other night we saw a poor fellow down on his all-fours endeavoring to extiicate iiis lower extremities, which were knee-deep in mud, from their unpleasant position.— Southland News.