Accidents, Offences, &c.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume I, Issue 218, 25 August 1884, Page 2

Accidents, Offences, &c.

OBTAINING GOODS BY FALSE PRETENCES. THE SHAKESPEARE HOTEL CASE. SUICIDE. BOY KILLED BY HIS BROTHER. ROSINA SMITH. [Per Press Association.] Wanganui, August 25. A young man, Thomas Johnson, was arrested at Atiaki on Friday, and charged here with forgery of a telegram at Parnell, purporting to be signed by Robert Hood, requesting £7 from his brother here. He has been remanded for eight days without bail. Johnson has been carrying on the same game with several people, getting altogether £22 by false pretences. He sent telegrams from Inglewood to New Plymouth, Onehunga, and Parnell, all to different people, and signed with the names of relatives. Other charges will follow. Auckland, August 25. The assault case at the Shakespeare Hotel came to an end by two of the Roche brothers being sentenced to fourteen days’ hard labor. When all the evidence is considered, there can be little doubt but that the three Roches are to be pitied. They had only arrived in town the day before the jracat from the bush, and were lodging at the hotel. They were engaged in a quiet game of cards when interrupted by a stranger, who demanded to play with them, and, upon being refused, he seized a glass and struck one of them on the cheek, cutting it severely. Naturally enough, the man who was struck defended himself, and his brother, hearing a row, rushed in to his assistance, and, according to his own account, seized Lynch, who says he was at that time struck from behind. The evidence also showed that the boxing man got a kick, not when trying to defend himself, but when he was creeping under the table out of the way. This, of course, was strongly denied. At any rate the two men in their own lodgings were interfered with by a stranger, and in defending themselves used the intruder rather roughly. His Worship, in passing sentence, said there was no doubt but that they had received great provocation.

The police have re-arrested Rosina Smith (alias Wilson). She will be brought up at the Police Court on Tuesday, on the charge of the wilful murder of her infant. It is probable the police will ask for a further remand. Dunedin, August 25. A man named Thomas Hudson Wackrill, was found dead in bed at the Coffee Palace last night at 5.30 o’clock. He was in his nightshirt, under the bed clothes, and had a revolver firmly clasped in his right hand, and it was found that he had shot himself through the mouth. He had been dead, it is conjectured, for at least fourteen hours. He had been drinking heavily since the 9th instant. Although a boarder at the Coffee Palace he

had not slept there except one or two nights. He was last seen at the Baldwin Hotel, only a hundred yards from the Coffee Palace on Friday night about 7.30. He was then sober, but had a strange look about him. He was not seen to enter the Coffee Palace, but at about 9.30 on Friday night the housekeeper heard a noise from his room, and believed this was the noise of the shot. He had been for nine months on board the whaler “ Splendid," but little else is known about himA An auctioneer’s license, issued at Chelmsford, England, was found in his pocket and a £lO note was found in a box in his room. The body was taken to the morgue, and an inquest will be held. IsvEßcaßomi, August 25. An inquest has been held on the body of Louise Marisco, aged 12 years. The boy was one of three brothers who were larking at home on the 10th instant. He and his brother Frank had been calling another brother (Joseph) nick-names, and on his pursuing them into a bed-room, Frank picked up a piece of iron used as poker, and threw it at Joseph, who saw the missile coming and dodged it, with the result that it struck deceased on the side of his head, fracturing his skull and driving the bones into the brain. The jury found a verdict in accordance with the evidence. Frank Marisco has been arrested and partly examin ed on a charge of manslaughter. He does not deny throwing the poker, but says it was not intended for Louis. The father of the boys was an Italian fisherman here, but has been in Seaeliffe asylum for several years past.