RESIDENT MAGISTRATES COURT.

Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 1041, 21 August 1879, Page 2

RESIDENT MAGISTRATES COURT.

THIS DAI'. (Before S. E. Slirimski, Esq., J.P.) Julia Paul was charged with having been found on the premises of Charles Bentley without lawful excuse at a quarter-past one o'clock this morning. Constable Cleary deposed that on the 21st inst. Mr. C. Bentley reported to him that there was a woman on his premises, who was causing annoyance to his family, and refused to leave when asked. He asked witness to accompany him to his residence. The constable went, and, on arriving there, found the woman named standing at one of the windows. He asked her what she was doing there, when she replied that she wanted the father of her child. Mr. Bentley then gave her in charge for being illegally on the premises. The charge was dismissed. (Before T. W. Parker, Esq., R.M.) SLY GROG CASES. The charge against Lucy Davis, alias Powell, was again brought on for hearing. George Sumpter deposed that he had let the house known as Boyland's Board-ing-house to one Powell, who said he had a vessel building for him at Newcastle. He believed the defendant was the occupier of the house. Edmund West, clerk to the last witness, gave evidence to the effect that he knew the defendant through having received rent from her for the house. The receipts had usually been made out in the name of Mrs. Powell. Cross-examined by Mr. Newton : The last rent witness had collected the receipt was made out in the name of Miss Chambers. By Mr. O'Meagher : The reason that the receipt was made out in the name of Miss Chambers was because defendant was on a visit to Ghristchurch. After a considerable amount of discussion between counsel on three points of law raised by Mr. Newton, Lucy Powell was placed in the box, and deposed that she was a married woman, and that she had seen her husband about a fortnight ago in Oamaru. Her husband had taken the house she now occupies in September last. She remembered the 6th inst. She did not see Dunbar or Henry on the evening of that day. She was not present when the liquor was sold to them.

After an adjournment for lunch, Mr. O'Meagher continued his examination of the witness as follows : I keep a boarding-house. I had two female boarders in the house on the night in question, named Annie Miller and Jane Crawford. Fred Berry, or Barry, wass also in the house. Annie Miller and Jane Crawford had to pay me for boarding in the house. Annie had agreed with me to pay L 3 per week, but I did not make any agreement with the other. Jane Crawford had paid me what she could. The person called Fred was a visitor, though he had meals in the house. He is still resident in the house, and might have been a resident for two months. He is not related to me. On the 6th inst. I came down to pay Sergeant Beatty some money. Jane Crawford was with me, and we walked home together. I do not recollect being in a cab at all that evening. I cannot say whether I drove in a cab past Sergeant Beatty. I will not swear positively that Jane Crawford was not drunk when we reached home. I have seen numbers of drunken women ; in fact, I have seen myself. I had taken some drink on the 6th instant, but I am positive I Tas not drunk. Fred is a gasfitter, but he has never worked for me in that capacity. He is very obliging, and would go on an errand if he was asked. I purchase liquor elsewhere than from hotels. Jane Crawford had not to be supported into the house on the 6th inst., and she was not lying in bed drunk that evening. I will positively swear that I did not see money placed in Fred's hands by Henry on the 6th inst. I have never seen either of the informants in my house. Re-examined : She perfectly remembered what she did when she got home on the 6th inst., and Jane Crawford did not look much the worse for drink. Frances Annie Miller deposed that she was a boarder in defendant's house. On the night of the 6th inst. she saw the two informants in the house, but defendant was not present in the room while they were there. Cross-examined by Mr. O'Meaglier : Defendant had been out that afternoon with Jane Crawford. Witness he ird the rattle of the wheels of a cab which brought them home that evening, but could not tell the color of the cab. Witness opened the door, and Jane Crawford went to bed, as also did Mrs. Powell. Defendant was in her own room when informants were present. She did not ask either of the men to shout. Drinks were brought in by Fred, and the money was placed on the table. It was not touched until after the men went away. Jane Crawford, another boarder in defendant's house, deposed that she remembered the 6th inst. Witness and defendant came to town together, and they walked back home. Robert Henry was then called, and deposed that whilst on his way to defendant's house, at about a quarter-past eight o'clock, he observed a hansom cab drive up to the house. On arrival of the cab at the house there was a girl taken from the cab in a state of intoxication. Witness was about 120 yards distant from the house. Henry Dunbar was also re-called, and deposed that he saw a cab drive up to defendant's door and two women got out of it. This was all the evidence. After reviewing the evidence, his Worship said he would take the evening to consider his decision. The remainder of the cases for sly grogselling were adjourned till to-morrow morning.