MAGISTERIAL.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2129, 19 January 1880, Page 2

MAGISTERIAL.

TIMAEU—THIS DAY,

—o—[Before His Worship the Mayor.] DRUNK AND DISORDERLY. Two first offenders was discharged with a caution. ALLEGED LARCENY. John Griffin was charged, on remand with the larceny of certain monies,, the property of his employer, Mr A. J. Parsons, of the Club Hotel. Mr Perry appeared on behalf of the accused. Mr Hamersley appeared to prosecute Sergt. Haldane deposed to arresting accused at the Club Hotel, between 6 and 7 p.m. on Jan. 15, on a warrant. Searched him and found half sovereign half-a-crowu, and a shilling, also a key on him. In reply to a question of the witness, accused said that he had six or seven pounds more in a box upstairs. Accompanied accused upstairs, and he pointed out a box to witness who opened it. Inside the lid, at the top of the box, found the handkerchief (pro-

duced), containing £1 2s fid, in halfcrowns, and 6s in florins. Also saw a small iron box which was locked, with the key in it. Examined it in the accused’s presence. It contained a small calico bag, which, on turning out, witness found to contain £l9, in sovereigns,and £B2los in half-sovereigns. Examined the coins and found nine of them marked. Seven were marked with a cross on one side, and two of them with two strokes with a knife. The box also contained 17s 9d, in three-penny pieces. While witness was searching the box somebody in the room, either Mr Parsons or Constable Smart, said, “ This is a good old £6 or £7.” The accused replied, “ I meant £6O ; I always got ray cheque changed for gold.” By Mr Perry : The accused seemed to regard his arrest more in the light of a joke than anything else —at least witness thought so at the time. Mr Parsons accompanied witness upstairs, and identified some of the marked coins. Witness had known the accused for two years, and during that time he had borne a good character. Had heard Parsons praise him for honesty and everything else. A. J. Parsons deposed that he was the licencee of the Club hotel. Accused had been in his employment since Oct. 1878. Accused was originally engaged by witness as boots, and subsequently as barman. He had been receiving 2ns per week at starting, and afterwards 80s. The total amount accused had received from witness was £6l. His duties as barman were to serve customers with liquor, and place all monies received in the till. Witness was present when accused was arrested. Witness saw Sergeant Haldane unlock the box produced, and take out the calico bag. He took out some of the gold coins and witness recognised nine of them as having been marked by himself. The coins produced were the ones. Some of them had been marked by witness on the evening previous to the accused’s arrest. On the following day witness placed these coins in the till. Some two months prior to this witness had marked about twenty halfsovereigns which had also been placed in the till. Witness was induced to do this in consequence of the smallness of the takings in the bar. Witness saw accused riding a pony on one occasion, and remarked to him “ Things are looking up with you Jack.” Accused replied that the pony belonged to Micky O’Brien, and he (accused) was taking him out to exercise. Accused was in the habit of riding out every day during the dinner hour. Shortly afterwards witness charged accused with having bought the pony. He denied it. He said “ Where could I find money to buy a pony ? It takes me all my time to keep myself in clothes.” Witness knew that accused had bought the pony, for yesterday he found the receipt fot the purchase-money (£8), signed by Michael O’Brien, and witnessed. Witness discontinued marking the money after this, being thrown off the scent by the manner of the accused. Afterwards resumed marking the money, and on Wednesday last asked accused how it was that money was again missing from the till. Accused upheld that it must have been taken by Ted, the waiter, while he (accused) was away, as he was the only person who had access to the bar. Last Thursday morning witness placed two marked half-sovereigns in the till, and they both disappeared. After lunch on the same day, while accused was absent from the bar, witness placed two more .marked half-sovereigns in the till, and counted the silver in it. There was then in it 88s in silver. Witness then crossed the street, leaving accused in charge. Witness watched the passage to see whether tho waiter or anyone entered the bar. While witness was watching from 20 to 30 persons entered the house, and witness saw the accused supplying them with drinks. Witness walked straight across after having been about half-an-hour absent, and went to the till. Both of the halfsoverigns were gone, £l6s in silver and a one pound note. Witness had a conversation with the accused on Jan. 7. On coming down stairs to breakfast accused told witness that the till had been robbed, and in reply to a question of the witness, accused stated that £1 10s was missing. Witness opened the till, and seeing a lot of money there said “You must have done a stroke this morning, by taking all this money.” Accused replied, “Ho, I have not taken all that, I have replaced what was taken. I put iu a pound of my own money, that being all the money I have got, and have borrowed 10s from Ted, the waiter.” The cheques produced were given to the accused for his wages. Always paid him by cheque. Accused had been in witness’s emplyment previously. Took him on again in Oct. 1878. On this occasion accused was engaged as general “ roust about ” or boots. Witness’s previous barman had taken money from the till, and had been “ sacked” at once by witness. In his case witness caused a marked coin to be taken in over the bar. Witness believed that he used to mark half-sovereigns with three little dashes, similar to the marked half-sovereigns produced in the present case. When the accused first became barman witness continued marking the coins as he had been in the habit of doing with the previous barman. Witness had every confidence in accused, and had discontinued marking coins for a long time. Becomnienced marking coins about three months ago, when lie used to put a small cross on the head. During the last three months witness’s takings averagedo abut £7O or £BO a week. Last year at this time average takings amounted to from £l2O to £l3O per week.

Edward Shave, waiter at the Club hotel, said that about a fortnight ago accused told witness that the till had been robbed. He guessed there was about 30s in the till at the time. He told witness that he had £l, and could witness lend him 10s to make up the amount before the boss came down ? Witness lent the money. About an hour or so after he told witness that he had got into a row with Mrs Parsons about 3s or 4s being missing from the till. This was the case for the prosecution. The accused who reserved his defence was committed to take his trial at the next sittings of [the Supreme Court, bail being accepted for his appearence, himself in £2OO and two surites of £2OO each. VAGRANCY. Jas. Murphy was charged (with having no lawful vissiblc means of support, Constable Smart and Detective Kirby deposed that the accused had been loafing about the town for the ast two or three days begging drinks. This was the eighth conviction against accused. Sentenced to three months imprisonment with hard labor. A SQTTARr.LK. Mr Fouracres, station-master at Pleasant Point, charged Win. Barrett, schoolmaster of the same place, with assaulting

him. The case originally was a crossaction in which each party sued the other. It appears that Mr Fouracres was annoyed by children continually playing about the station, and Mr Barrett remonstrated on one occasion with the station-master about his treatment of them. Thereupon a row and some disagreeable language ensued. Both parties denied that they had been in the wrong. Both the cases were dismissed.