SUPREME COURT.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume IX, Issue 100, 28 April 1874, Page 2

SUPREME COURT.

[Before lii_ Honor Mr Juctice Richmond].

(Mokd.yy, April 27 ) STSAT.INO FROM A POST LETTER

Edwaid Henry Reilly pleaded Guilty to this charge.

Mr Fell, who appeared on his behalf, raid tlu.t he hoped the attendant circumstances of the case would induce His Honor to r'gard it, with lenitwy. Ihe unfortunate la I was but 19 ye^rs of Hjje, an 1 was Ihe sin of worthy parents, his fat'.ier having been in the army and then lor several years in the employ of the General and Provincial Government of Au -kland. and up to the date of the ofllnce w,th which he was cha-ged, the prisoner had himself b?en highly ie*peol:<d. He bad never been in want of tncney, though his salary was very simil, md he was always of peifict'y steady habits, and it was utterly impossible to account for the momen'ary impu'se that had icl him to steal the Ic'ter, and in addition to this he had tor sitae time teen in exceedingly bad health, being a martyr to asthmi. ne (Mr Fell) wa« prepared to produce tptt moniaU from the Principal of the Auckland Cringe wluro Le had been educated, from the Su| erinteDdent of Auckland, aud from the heads of the departments in which he had served. '1 here could bo ro doubt whatever that in the case of one who had ba n brought up as the prisoner had been, tbe punishment he had brought upon ! imself would be far n ore severe than in that of ordinary crimina's, and hsincerely hoped thit these considerat'ons might move His Honor to pity in passing sentence.

His Honor: I must remind you, Mr Fell, that in my position I cannot allow pity t'> move me, however much 1 may ie 1 i . I have not the slightest doubt titat ttie puni-h---ment provided by law will fall wiih far greater te verity upon one who has received a good c v at on and is of gentle breeding; but t is it not just ibat it should be so, for is he not one who shouli be better able to resist temptation?

Mr Fei l then produced the tcftimonials anl said that he was informed that the Crown Prosecutor hid been instructed by the Postmaster General to recommend the prisoner to the mercy of the Court.

His Honor said: Pri onr at the bar, your case is one w hich is deeply distress-big to the judge who has to piss sentence upon you, and ho must feel that uietreai the more in that hu Inows that tie disgrace and pan of tho punishment falls most heavily upon the heals of those who have instructed you in what is right, and who ha I reason to hope that you would prove yourself worthy of their affection. It must m Ire 1 cause the most bitter regret to them fr> find that jour wickel act has completely crushed all their hopes. It is vain to gay that your ofFence may be placed on the ►anie footing as common larceny, for it is one that could on'y have been com < itted by oneoccupying a rcepec'able position in life, and so dangeous is it to the interests of the commut.ity tbat the law provides for it the severest pt nalty , the judge bt ing empo were 1 1 o sentence ycu io imprisonment for life. Jusi :c does not rt quire it, nor is the occurrence of tha c im" to which you have pleaded guilty so frequent as to call for such a sentence as would blst the wh lo of your future life. I > must, however, mark the different c between your cr me and that of one who for the first time had been guilty of potty larceny, f.tr you have ■violatel tbe confidence ibat was justifiably reposed in you. Even the recommendation to mercy by iho highest authority must not ir.flience mo too greatly, and ihj sentence I have to pass on you is that you be impris .ned ior three years with hard labor. THE QOEBN P. WILLIAM BARLOW. ASSAULT. After an a v sercj of two hours tho jury returned with a verdict of Not Guilty. TorsDAT, April- 28. KEEPING A DISORDERLY HOUSE. Mary Ann Pike was charged with keeping a house of ill-fame. Mr Pitt appeared for the prosecution. Prisoner was undefende 1 ♦W. f. Parmenter gave evidence to ihe effect that the house kept by the prisoner in Collingwood-street, together with others of n similar description, was a preat nuisance to the neighborhood, an 1 had \ roved the ruin of the property holders in the immediate vicinity. Edward Touet and Serge mt Nash gave similar evidence. In eumnring up, his Honor took tho opportunity to state that by far the most infamous character in the whole affair was ths man M Caw, who let the houses in the neighborhood to prostitutes and disorderly persons. Tbe jory, without retiring, returned a verdict of Guilty His Honor said that a temporary removal from the scene of her infamy would give the prisoner time for reflection,' which he sincerely hoped she would turn to goo 3 account, and endeavor for the future to give up her evil course of living. The sentence of the Court was that she be imprisoned for six months with hard Jabor. This concluded the business of the Court.