SHANNON POLICE COURT.

Shannon News, 27 June 1924, Page 3

SHANNON POLICE COURT.

ALLEGED ASSAULT AND THEFT.

• Bel'oi'e- 'Messrs Waring Taylor a«d \\. xx. Gunning, J.'sP., on Tuesday lnowiing three-men named J. Foley, i. McConville and ii. Roßerts, who had heen arrested the previous day •at Manguhao, were' charged that on

June i6th at shannon they (1) Did assault Wm. iMaiiniiig; (ij eoaiimjlu a I grossly indecent act; (3) steal a, gent's coat vuiiucd at £4 ajid £1 ih money I and letter from tiie Hotel, the I property of Harry Warmau. All the ', accused pleaded not guilty to the ' three charges and elected to he dealt wit.li summarily. • ' ' On the first/ charge of assault Wm. Maiming stated that on the day in iiuestion he was in conversation with Mr iMuilaney outside the Club Hotel when McConville accosted him. ness told hint to go away and with that ■McConville struck him. Witness then went into the hotel where he was followed by the three aeeus-j ed, McConville'again striking him on the head, while the accuseii Roberts kicked him front behind on the leg, at the same time holding witness's hand so as to prevent, him from protecting himself. The third man (F,oley) tried to persuade McConville to go away when requested. John Mullaney, in corroborating the evjdenc© of the previous witness, stated the accused had been given no pj'ovioea.tion to strike Mjaiming but they appeared' to be in a ' flghtable moott. Foley had advised 'McConville hVgo away. MeConviMe and Boberfcs were convicted and sentenced to one month's imprisonment, the charge against Foley being dismissed. . Alter the evidence of several school boys and a, local resident had been taken all three accused were coiivicted on the charge of committing an improper act in a public ploce and were each sentenced to one month's imprisonment. CHARGE O'F THEFT.

Charged -with, the theft of a gent's coat Valued .ait, £4 and £1 in cash and some letters from the Albion Hoted, the property of Harry War-man, all jthe accused pleaded not guilty. Harry Warman stated he lived at, the Albion Hotel and last saw the cotait on Monday morning, when it, w.'is hanging in his room, No. 6. He recognised the letters (produced) as belonging to Mm. Tlley had.- been ■foimd near the telegraph post in front of Mr- Voysey's residence where the men had been sitting. Dolly Rolston 5 waitress, testified to seeing two of liue jaeh upstairs at the hotel. They came out of No. ?, which room was next to No. 6 and they then went downstairs.

All's Curran, wile of the licensee, stated she saw tvyo oi the accused at the. loot 01 tthe stairs. Having- heard they had been upstairs she toid them they had no right there. They had nothing in their possession when she sppke to ihem. She identified ihem as McCahvilie and Roberts.

Evidence' w-as given J)y three school hoys ito the effect that they saw the three accused cross the road from Mr Hermann's gaite amd one was carrying a dark coat. They .identified tiiiii man as Roberts. , Afterwards they saw. the men reading letters by the telegraph, pqst near Mr Voysey's. , In answer to Constable McGregor one boy stated when he saw the accused, Foley was lying on the bank, McConville was making, a cigarette, while Roberts had the coat on his am and was reading a letter. •Clonstahle McGregor said that on the day following the theft he received the complaint irom the owner and as a result of enquiries he had made visited the men at Mahgahao where they denied all knowledge of the missing articles; also that they had ever ; been upstaix's in the Albion Hou?l or that one of ithem had been about the street carrying the coat on hi s arm. Oil Wednesday he had made a search near- Mr 'Voysey's residence and had found the ' letters which had been identified as being in the missing coat. On the accused being asked if they had anything to say, FoleV stoutly denied he had been upstairs in the hotel,or had' taken the coat. All three accused admitted having been very drunk on, the day in question and denied all knowledge or the missing coat. McConvilile and Roberts were convicted arid sentenced to one month's imprisonmet, -Foley heim? acquitted. The Bench ordered that the sentences imposed he cumulative.