MAGISTERIAL.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2521, 20 April 1881, Page 2

MAGISTERIAL.

SECOND EDITION

TIMARU—THIS DAY.

(Before R. Beetham Esq., R.M., and T. W. Hall Esq., J.P.) ALLEGED SLY PORTER SELLING. W. M. Rogers, was charged with the above offence and pleaded not guilty. Mr Jameson appeared for the defence. William Cooper, painter,Timaru, said, he visited the defendant’s shop last Friday night in company with a friend named Newton, and they bad three dozen oysters a-piece. They also called for a bottle of porter which was fetched by Rogers, and they drank it. Witness believed that it was porter, but as he had never tasted it before he was not prepared to swear to it. Newton gave corroborative evidence. Arthur Stewart, a small boy about ten years of age, said he had been employed by Rogers. He remembered Cooper and Newton calling at the shop and having some oysters on Friday night. They called for some porter, which Rogers sent witness to get to his house on the opposite side of Beswick street. There was porter there, and witness had gone there before at his master’s request to fetch bottles.

By Mr Jameson. Ran away from Rogers on Saturday, and gave information to the police about the porter selling. Mr Jameson asked that the case might be dismissed on, the ground of insufficient evidence and the untrustworthy testimony of the boy Stewart. His client would be prepared to swear that he had not supplied the porter himself, but had procured it from an outside source.

W. M. Rogers, the defendant, then got into the box, and stated that he had purchased the porter on receiving the order for it. Had gone out and fetched it himself, paying eighteen-pence for the bottle.

Mr Pender said that ho would ask the bench to question the witness as to where ho obtained the porter. The Bench refused to do so, remarking that if the defendant replied to the question he might criminate himself. This was all the evidence, and the Bench remarking that the sustainment of the charge depended altogetner upon the boy Stewart, which was of a very unsatisfactory character, dismissed the case. MAINTENANCE. The case of Satterthwaite v. Satterthwaite, in which the wife sues her husband for arrears of allowance money, for maintenance of herself and three children (Mr Jameson appearing for the defendant) was adjourned for a week for the production of further evidence. A HAPPY PAIR. Thomas Norman was summoned by his wife, Sarah Jane Norman, for assaulting her. The defendant pleaded not guilty. The prosecutrix complained that her husband beat her on Friday last, threw a brick at her, pinched and bit her,with other attentions of that kind. The defendant said that he threw a brick at a fowl on Friday. The brick missed the bird and hit his wife on the leg. The thing was entirely accidental. On asking his wife if she was hurt she got in a passion, and said that he had thrown the brick at her. His Worship tnld the wife that he COUld not accept her UuowWnnfiatod statement. If she had been assaulted she must bring some disinterested party to give evidence who had witnessed the assault. The case would be dismissed. But if they would allow him he would give them a bit of advice. They had taken each other “ for better, for worse,” and the best thing the}' could do would be to make it up and say no more about it. The parties, who judging from their glances at one another, seemed to think their union had been altogether for the worse, then left the Court. A LITERAPY THIEF, John Moody was charged by J. J. Palmer, of the Railway Hotel atAlbury, with stealing books from the hotel to the value of 15s. The prosecutor said that on Monday Inst he found that a cheffonier in one of the downstairs apartments had been broken open and a number of books abstracted. A quantity of other things were scattered about the floor. Exported the matter to the police and went upstairs with a constable. They found the accused in one of the bedrooms. Ho was in bed and partially dressed. The books were in bis possession. He had a novel in his pocket and a prayer-book, and others under his pillow. The accused was sentenced to seven days with hard labor. The Court then adjourned.