CRIMINAL.

Manawatu Herald, Volume III, Issue III, 6 November 1890, Page 2

CRIMINAL.

Walter Stevens was charged, oa the information of James Park Murray, that h« did feloniously steal one ten pound note of the value of ten pounds, the property of the said J. P. Murray. The police prosecuted, and Mr Ray d«fended the accused. James Park Murray, being sworn, said — I am a boarding-house-keeper residing at Foxton. I remember the 28th of last month ; about the middle of the day I was at Mr Williams' hotel. On that occasion there were four or five others present, Sandbrook, the accused, a man they call Dave something, Johnson, and George Wearing. They were in a small room adjoining the bar, at this side of the house. I was shouting. I had no silver. I took out my purse, which contained some notes. I took out one of the notes, it was a £1 note. I took all the notes out of my purse and detatched one from the rest. I handed the £1 note over the bar. I observed that the other notes I had in my hand were a £5 note, a £10 note, and two LI notes, as far as I can judge. I cannot swear clearly that I saw the LlO note. I looked, and as soon as I got the change from the £1 note that the £10 note wai missing. I looked on the floor first and I saw nothing there. I thought I had dropped a note when I took the £1 note. I then said " I have lost a £10 note." I either said that " I had lost it" or that, " I had dropped it." Mrg Williams said to me " Had I got the number of the note" I said " yes " because I thought I had it at home. The last time I saw this £10 note for certain was perhaps ten minutes before at Stansell's, on leaving there. I went to Mr Williams, I went no where else before discovering that I had lost the note. I stood a little while, while going to William's hotel on the road, looking at some jumping. I did not speak to the accused about the loss of the note until I was told —I had reason to believe that the a cused had it, I spoke to the accused before he left the room. I asked him for the LlO -note, he denied having it, he s ood for a little time, and as near as I remember said oa going out, " you all say I have got it " he then went out. I did not n tice him agaiu. I came down and told the police after being told that the accused had it. Cross examined by Mr Ray —This affair occurred about the middle of the day. I call 12 o'clock the middle of the day. Before this I had been doing some business. I had some business at Hunter's hotel and als > at Stansell's hotel. I bad " something to take " at Hunter's hotel. I had one glass, not more, I think, as near as I can recollect, I don't remember having shouted for any «ne at Hunter's that morning. I went to Hunter's somewhere between 8 and 9 o'clock, I may have remained there half an hour, I may have remained a quarter of an hour, it may have been only 10 minutes. I won't undertake to swear that I was not an hour and a half there. I scarcely think it possible that I did not leave JHunter's until half past eleven o'clock. I don't remember having more than one glass at Hunter's. I will not swear that I did not have any more. I met one of my friends there. I conversed with Mr Hunter there, I think I spoke with Mary, I spoke three worda with Smith. I am quite sure that I did not drink with him. I went to Stansell'f, had business there. My business there did not take me very long, and when I had finished my busine-s, I remained there for a time. I might have been there one or two hours perhaps. I then went a little further up the street, t» the chemist's, and to Honore's and back to Stansell's, as near as I can recollect. I had no fur;her business to do at Stansell'd. I cannot say how long I stayed at Stansell's on the second occasioa. I might have be• n there a few minutes or half an hour or so, I did not take a note of the time. I have already said that I was there from 10 minutes to half an hour. I will not undertake to say that I was not there an hour. I went from there to Williams'. I had something to drink at Stansell's. I shouted for somebody there more than once. I know the persons for whom I shouted. Bradcock was one, and another man who is not here, who is called " Jack." I don't remember shouting for any others. I scarcely think that I shouted for any others without remembering it. I saw Mr Winter at stansell's. I saw one or two others, the stableman was one. Do not think I shouted for him. Uon't know Daniel Elliot. Dou't know Tom Murray, but I know William Sandbrooke by eight. Don't remember asking them to have a drink at Stansell's. Don't remember going up to the bar to shout for them. It is not a thing I would be likely to ilo. Don't remember finding no one in attendance in the bar at Stansell's. While I was there I am not aware of going to the bar for the purpose of asking them to drink. Did not say to them, to my recollection, we will go up to T P/s. Saw that man (pointing to Tom Murray) in Stansell's yard. Did not ask him to go to Williams'. Said that I was going there. I don't remember challenging Tom Murray to jump. They were jumping all sorts of jumps. I don't remember clearly about the jumping. May have fallen while jumping. Do not think that I fell. Don't remember Murray saying to me " It is no good your jumping, you are too drunk." Don't think that I said then " come up and have a drink " Don't remember going to the stable before going nn to Williams'. Did not meet the man Wearing and speak to him on the green. Did not see him on the green. Saw him near Williams'. Don't remember going up to him. Did not put my arm round his nook that lam aware of. Will not under-

take to say that I clid'nt. Don't rernembe his pri ting his arm round my neck. W'il not undertake to say be did not. At Wil liams' I went in lo w 'at I Tuiok t >ey call tin back room, .-aw a htt'e boy t.u-re. Don' remember s e'.ng Daiiel Elliott on tLa day. Asked all who were present to have ( drink Tiie boy filled the drinks. Fad i soda-wat?r. which made me all right to ( certain extent. Asked for whiskey, bu Mrs Williams gave me soda-water, remark ing that it was better for me. Umloubt ertly she refused to give me whisky, or J would Ive gf>t whisky. Had one drinl only a* \nc as I remember before pnlMnj out my purs'?* Hal no other drink in thai room afterwards. Was in '"'c back parloi the whole of An line. Think W.-aving as sisted in the chinking, a.n not sure Called all that were round about. When ] paid for the drinks I pulled out my purse, Before I pulled out my purse I did not pul! out any money. Had no silver that ] know of. Don't remember pulling some silver out of my pocket before pulling my purse out. Do not remember puttiug down some silver to pay for the drinks. Cannot say that I dropped a sixpence on H the ground before pulling my purse out. Don't remember pulling out two sixpences, a shilling, and two pennies. Don't re'iieniber dropping any on the floor. Don't remember anything about any sixpence or of having one in my possession. The prisoner did not say you had dropped a sixpence, or you are dropping your money, Did not pick up a sixpence. Do not remember saying " it doesn't matter I have more money here." Took out my pure before I changed the note. Had three singles, one five and one ten. When I took the notes out of my purse I opened all of them and pulled one from the rest. Noticed the LlO note just previous on leaving Stansell's. Did not particularly notice the LlO note while I was at Williams'. It was never taken from my pocket. Will not undertake to say that 1 saw the LlO note clearly. 1 saw none of them clearly. Looked at the notes on leaving Stansell's. Was in the passage when I looked at them, the passage leading away from the bar to come outside. I then particularly noticed it, as the corner was turned down and I turned it up and looked at it. Pulled out my purse to look at it in Stansell's. Did not open the notes in Stanjell's. the corner of the note was turned down. I pulled the purse out on another occasion but I did not then take the notes out of the purse. Pulled it out to show it to a person, (.'hanged a note at Stansell's, a loose one T had in my pocket. Did not pull out my PUT : to get that note I changed. Did not r'ian;;e a note at Hunter's. Changed a i-.ote at stansell's bot'ore going to William. I don't think that I changed a note at Siansell's before I went to Williams'. I have no reason to think that I changed a noie at Stansell's before going to Wi)liam>\ I had 30s in silver when I went to Mansell's. Had about LIS on leaving my house. I received no money that morning. The money consisted of notes and silver. About a pound in silver and the rest in notes. 1 must have had about LlB 19s. 1 do not know h w much I spent at Hunter's hotel. Ido not know how rtiuch I spent at Stansell's hotel I spent very little at Honore's 3 or 4 shillings, spent about 2 or 3 shillings at the Chemist's I left my home between 8 and 9 o'clock, I kept a boarding house for 15 months up to the present. The boarders are flax hands only. I did not open my purse before I starred in the morning, had business at Hunter's the day before. It must have been at nigiit when I was there. After 8 o'clock on Monday night. I was there 2 or three hours shouted for somebody there, the first and second eng neerof the Wakatu. don't remember that I shou ed for any bo4y-«J»ft. I saw different people there I knew. Tli6 second and chief engineers asked me to drink, do not know how many times they shouted for me, I may have shouted once or twice for them, do not think anybody else shouted for me besides the first or second engineer's, do not remember anybody else shouting for me, I have never lost any money Viefore, have \ mislaid money, have never lost money in a i public house before. I have had som 1 business transactions with Hunter, on Monday he paid me a cheque for L 3 5/-, went to see Mr Hunter afterwards about the cheque, saw him afterwards and told him that I either lost or mislaid the cheque. It must have been on Tueaday I suppose when I saw him. It must have been Tuesday morning as near as I can remember. It was last Monday week night that I received the cheque from him. I saw him the next day and it was then I told him that I had lost o: % mislail the cheque, did not ask him to give me another. It was before I went to William's that I saw Hunter, won't undertake to say that I saw him before I went to William's. It must have been on Wednesday morning that 1 saw him, did not receive any money except the L 3 5/- from Hunter on Monday. I might have received a few shillings oa the Monday, did not receive any large sum of money during the previous week. I dont think I received as much as L2O. The money F speak of 1 got from the bank of New Zealand more than a week previous. I got the LlO note form the B. N. Z. together with another LlO note and two Lo, about 3or 4 weeks ago I changed one of the LlO notes in Honore's. I don't think I had any particular business at Hunter's on the Saturday. I was there on that day. l went there 1 believe for a drink. Very likely 1 was at Stanse l's on the Monday, may have shouted for some one. I have seen many persons on the drink, but I have seldom been on the drink myself. If I had not drank anything for a year I should not be clearer than lam about this matter. After I lost this note, I looked on the ground but saw nothing, paper or anything, It was probably more than ten minutes after I lost th« note before J left the room. F don't remember leaving the room and staying Out of it for 5 minutes before speaking to the accused about it. I will not swear that' I did not go out of the room before speaking to the accused about it, after missing the note. I said to the prisoner 41 have you picked up anything " [ don't remember his saying " I have not.' I asked him if he had picked up my note, and he said " No," he said •' if you think I have the money search me." He said nothing abontTapp the constable. I did not search him. 1 went round and laid information long before 6 o'clock, at about 4 perhaps. * was not in William's again that night. I did not ask any one to help me home. I called at Stansell's on my way home. I won't ■wear that nobody accompanied me home, or assisted me with his arm. By the Police— The day I missed the note I went to Hunter's, in the moruing to see him about the cheque which I had lost. I have found it since. 1 found it at home. The persons 1 shouted for at William's, that is to say, Davy, Charles Johnson, Murray, and J-and brooke, I had seen previously atStansell't yard. Two or three of the persons were there I shouted for. They were standing round close to me. I have seen one or I two of them, two or three of them aliont ' the streets since, they are always togel her vhen I tee them.