Resident Magistrate's Court.

Marlborough Express, Volume IV, Issue 168, 3 April 1869, Page 4

Resident Magistrate's Court.

BLENHEIM, MONDAY, MARCH 26nd, 1869. [Before S. L. Muller, Esq., R.M.] ROBBING A TILL. John Courtney was charged with stealing a sum of money from the till of Mr. C. Purkiss, of the Rainbow Hotel, on Saturday evening last. The prisoner pleaded not guilty. Charles Purkiss, landlord of the Rainbow' Hotel, Blenheim, deposed thkt he knew the prisoner, and on Saturday evening last about 6 o’clock, between the lights, he went but of an inner robominto the bar to light up, when he saw prisoner with one leg over the bar, and his hand over the till. He at ohce seized hie hands/ and accused him oi stealing; Prisoner drew his hands back, saying he had got nothing. On opening one hand he found nothing; then with great diffculty forced the other open, finding therein 9s. 6d. in silver. Told him he had taken it out of the till. His reply was that it was his own money, but he would • give : it me as he did not want it. I then sent for the police and gave him in charge/; Could not swear to the coins produced, 7 ; except that one was a half-crown, and I missed one from the drawer, where I had ' 19s. to 205., some of which I found missing. '

By the Bench: Did not hear prisoner come in, but coming.in to turn up the lights, found him there. He made a rambling statement, but I could make nothing of it. He had been in occasionally to get glasses of ale. s- !

By prisoner: I did not tell you to go away, and never mind the money. My wife said in prisoner’s presence that she did not leave the till open. The prisoner in defence said he went in to get a glass of ale, and saw the drawer open. He pulled the money out of his pocket to pay for the ale with. He got Bs. from the Catholic priest, and £1 up Grove Hoad; hut he had no evidence to produce. Inspector Emerson said the prisoner had been twice before the Bench before for being drunk. He searched but found nothing on him. He wan doing nothing but going about to the public houses. Was a native of Hobartown, and bore a very bad character. The Bench committed him to Picton Gaol for 3 months, with hard labor. The money to be returned.

Neil Ross and George Jones , of Picton, were charged with being drunk and disorderly. Both received good characters from the police, and were each fined 10s, with 3s. costs.