RESIDENT MAGISTRATE'S COURT. Monday, 6th May. (Before James Udall, and A. H. Maude, Esqs., J.P.'s.)

North Otago Times, Volume 1881, Issue XXVI, 7 May 1878, Page 2

RESIDENT MAGISTRATE'S COURT. Monday, 6th May. (Before James Udall, and A. H. Maude, Esqs., J.P.'s.)

A DEGRADED PAIR OP WOArfiN. Maggie Parker and Mary Barker, both evidently suffering fijotn the effects of liquor, wore placed in the dock on a charge of riotous conduct in Thames street on Sunday night. From the evidence of OonstaMe Johnston, who arrested the prisoners, it appeared that the women were quarrelling and making use of very vile language outside .^ house kept by the prisoner Barker, which is known to the police to possess a most'unenvKible notoriety, and which is ia situated near the North Town Boundary, B-trkor, the Constable said, was a known prostitute* The other woman had, ever' since her advent in Oiimaru, been an habitual frequenter of brothels, and only a day or two a«o wan cautioned and discharged at this Court on a charge of drunkenness. The prisonor hero interrupted the witness with " Oh, that was the time when I felt giddy. A gentloman gave me some brandy, because I was faint; and the gaolor, instead of giving me the shelter I asked for, put me in tho lock-up " but tho Magistrate stopped a flow of eloquence which might have lasted till doomsday. Sorgt, Boatty also gave testimony as to tho bad reputation tho prisoners had earned for themselves, and stated fiat thoy Tiad been they subject of continual complaints made by the neighbors living in the vicinity of tho place. On being asked if thoy had anything to say in answer to tho charge, the woman Barker protested her innocjnee, and said sho had always lived a rospectablo lifo, never having been up before the Magistrates before. The other said she was only a now arrival in Oamaru, and had been brought hero from Dunedin by a young man who had promised to marry her, but not having sufficient means, they had decided that sho should aq into lodgings until he had found work aiid had procured more money. Sho was of a highly respectablo family, and had been in good situations. She had tried hard to got something to do here, but failed. Sho had gone to lodge with Barker, knowing what kind of place it was. but sho herself had been guilty of nothing wrong, and on Sunday night all that happened was, " Mary" and her had had a bit of a quarrql, and both went out of the h'Hiso to sett.lo the dispute, not too warmly clad. She had intended leaving by tho boat on Saturday for Dunedin, but was late ; but provided sho regained her liftorty sho would proceed south by the Samson that night. She had always kept herself respectable, and had never been in a gaol except once, and that was when tho gaoler mistook giddiness for intoxicntion. (Laughter.) The Bench : Even supposing all you have said to bo true, it does not in any way affect the present charge. That you have been guilty of most riotous and unseemly conduct there can bo no doubt, and the Bench are agreed that the punishment shall l>o a severe one You are st-ntencp I each to (nu> months' impiiionuuMit with li.nd 1 iboi.

The announcement was met with a perfect storm of hewls from the prisoner 1 arker, who continued to scream as long as she was in the Court.

I<AROJSNY. , Griffo;i Green, an old and hardened offender, 1 was brought up, charged with Having, 'on tho 4th inst. stolen from the shop of Jtobert Gabites, one suit of inon's olothes Of the value of L 3 7s 6d. Sub-Inspector Smith conducted tho ' prosecution, and the prisoner pleaded " Not Guilty." Before the case was opened, the prisoner said, "I would like to ask your Worships that all witnesses be ordered to leave the Court during this " inquiry." Tho request having beon complied with Sub-Inspector Smith briefly stated the facts of the case, and called the prosocutor, Robert Gabitos, who, on being sworn, said he identified the clothes as his by the private mark. He did not remember having seen tho prisoner on Saturday, nor did ho sell him a suit of clothes on that day. The suit was hanging on a brackot. Ho further stated that he was called out of the shop by a young lad named Ward, who said a man had stolen a suit of clothes from tho outside, and in conjunction with tho lad he had followed just in time to see prisoner put the things on Reid and Gray's fence in Humber street, prisoner having gained that spot by going down the right-of-way between witness' shop and the Imperial Hotel. Prisoner was afterwards arrested by one of his shopmen. In answer to prisoner, witness said he was «ure that he was the same man who had dropped the clothei. Allan Ward, a sharp, intelligent boy of fourteen, sworn, said he was going down Thames street on Saturday night, just after tea, and as ho was passing Gabitos' shop he saw tho prisoner go up to a suit of clothes that was hanging outside the shop, examine it, pull it down, and quiotly go round the corner down the right-of-way, putting the things under his coat just after turning. Witness followed, and called " Stop thief I " but finding that no one heard him he kicked lustily at Gabites* side door, which was opened by Mr Qabites, who joined him m tho pursuit. As they got up to the prisoner, thoy saw him put the clothes over the fence, and walk leisurely down Humber street. Mr Wholch, a shopman of Mr Gabites', came up at this time, " and I," continued the plucky little fellow, " gave the prisoner in charge to him, and went for a constable." To the prisoner : I lost sight of you for a moment down the right-of-way. To the Bench : I am sure the prisoner, tho man whom I saw taking the clothes, and the man wo overtook in Humber street, and whom I gave in charge, are one and the same. The prisoner further questioned the lad, with a view of shaking his testimony, but tho witness adhered in every particular to his evidence, and on prisoner proceeding to argue the point, ho was summarily stopped by the Bench. Henry Wholoh, an assistant to Mr Gabites, deposed that he in conjunction with others, arrested tho prisoner near tho railway station, ho having ran thither when asked by witness to go to the lockup with him. This was tho case for the prosecution. In answer to tho Bench, the prisoner attempted to prove that ho was not the man. There might bo black sheep in the town, ho said, but ho was not tho one this timo. Tho boy had evidently boon tampered with. It was hard that ho, who would not wrong his fellow men for tho world, should bo placed in such a position. There wero a large number of provious convictions against tho prisoner, Tho Bench said time no doubt what, ever existed in their minds as to the guilt of the prisoner, and doprecated in strong terms the attempt that had been made to throw discredit on tho lad Ward's testimony. Thoy thought that the boy was to be complimonted vory much for tho clear, straightforward way in which ho had given his evidence. Thoro was nothing in the surrounding circumstances of the . case that would lead them to take a leniont view of it, and the prisoner would, therefore, receive tho full punishment tho law allows, which was, six months' imprisonment with hard labor. Tho Prisoner : Will your Worships please inform mo what course I shall take, as an honest man, in tho future (laughter). I never heard of such a sentence. I slmll appeal against it.

DRUNKENNESS. Robert Thompson, charged with this ofhmco in Thames street on tho previous nijjhfr, was 15s, or in default 22 days imprisonment with hard labor.

LUNACY. The man Lyon, charged with being of unsound mind, was, on the application of the police, further remanded till today.