RESIDENT MAGISTRATE’S COURT.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5250, 21 January 1878, Page 3

RESIDENT MAGISTRATE’S COURT.

Saturday, January 19. (Before J. C. Crawford, Esq., R.M.) THREATENING LANGUAGE. William Brosuer, one cf the men who were fined the previous day for fighting in Willisstreet, was again brought up, charged with using threatening language to Mr. Harcourt Lee, pianist to the Opera Company. Mr, Lee stated that he lodged at the Melbourne Hotel. He only knew the prisoner by sight. He remembered seeing him at the Melbourne Hotel on Wednesday evening last. He was creating a disturbance, iu which witness took no part. Prisoner ran up stairs to escape from some other men, and hid himself in one of the ladies’ bedrooms. Witness saw him, and informed the landlord. Mr. Hughes and witness went up stairs, and found the prisoner sitting on one of the beds. That was the only way witness interfered with him. On the following day, as witness was proceeding along Manners-street, prisoner, accompanied by another man, came up to him and said, “You had a lot to say last night,” and asked him to fight at once, an invitation which witness declined. Both prisoner and his companion then threatened to give witness _ a hammering, and said they would waylay him some night coming home, when five or six would attack him. Witness stated that he was in delicate health, aud had come to New Zealand chiefly on that account. He was afraid that bodily ill-treatment would have a serious effect upon him, perhaps would prove fatal. He had no animosity against the prisoner, but merely wished to be free from molestation, as he felt convinced that the prisoner was a man who would not hesitate to waylay him and carry out his threat. Owing to his business, witness was out every night after 11 o’clock. The prisoner denied that he had made use of the 'words complained of. All he said to prosecutor was that he behaved iu a cowardly manner on the night referred to, and then challenged him to fight either himself or his. comnanion. Detective Earrell gave the prisoner a bad character, stating that he was one of a gang of card-sharpers, who travelled about from place to place fleecing people at the various hotels and racecourses. He had no other means of support. Brosuer had been convicted previously in Dunedin. Prisoner said he was a jockey, and travelled about to get a job at the various race meetings. He had never been in a Court before except once for assault. The Bench ordered the prisoner to find sureties to keep the peace for the next six months, himself in £2O, and two sureties of £2O each. FALSE PRETENCES. John Earquhar was brought up on the information of Sergeant Price on a charge of having obtained goods from Mr. Eraukel by means of a valueless cheque. Jacob Erankel deposed that he was a general dealer. He kuew the defendant, who was employed by Woods, Crosbie, and Co. He had been accustomed to cash cheques for him. Ou Thursday last prisoner came to him and purchased a set of studs for Bs. Gd. He tendered a cheque for £2 XOs. in payment, and witness gave him the balance. The cheque was returned from the bank as valueless. W. Woods, member of the firm of Woods, Crosbie, and Co., butchers, Lambton-quay, stated that the prisoner had been in the employ of the firm for ten months. The cheque produced was not one of the firm's cheques. The party who signed the cheque had no authority from the firm to do so. Ernest Edward Costelli, ledger-keeper at the Bank of New South Wales, deposed that he recognised the cheque produced as having been presented at the bank, but it had been refused payment, as the signature was not known. Woods, Crosbie, and Co. had no account at the bank. The prisoner said on the sth of the present month he had received from the accountant of the firm of Woods, Crosbie, aud Co. a cheque for £2 10s., and that was the cheque now prodacecl in Court. Mr. Woods was recalled, and gave the pnsoner an excellent character. He would have trusted him with anything. _ f The prisoner was sentenced to six months imprisonment, with hard labor.