POLICE COURT.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXV, Issue 42, 17 February 1903, Page 2

POLICE COURT.

Monday, February 16.—B,'fore Mr R. L. Stanford, S.M. STEALING TEN SHILLINGS. Alfred Collins was charged, on the information of Alexande: Boswell, with stealing the sum of 10* from iufornunt on the New Plymouth Racecour.e. I Sergeant Haddrell, who conducted the piosbcution, said the case was a curious one. The accused induced informant to join him in a ticket on a horse giving him a spurious halfsovereign (a gilded farthing) as his share of the ticket. Bo3well goS the ticket, paying £1 for it, and soon affci?r found the coin he bad received from accused was bad. He then informed the police who arrested accused on Saturday evening. Sergfc. Haddrell called

Alexander Bcswell, who being sworn, said : I wa9 at the racecourse last Wednesday and met accused ; he asked me if I would go halves in a ticket as he had got the straight tip and could

spot the winner. I said why not put a ticket on and he said he had only a half-sovereign. I said give me the half-sovereign and I will get the ticket. He gave me a coic which I to:>k to bo a ha!f-sover. ign and followed me over to the miobine, I took a ticket on No. 5 (Grioi Intent), As I crme out he asked me if I had the ticket; I said yes. He said where Is it. I siid i> my pocket, lid siid you understand if th) horse wins half the tkkeS is mine. I said that is so. The coin produced is the one. I tendered it to a bookmaker for a bet of 53. The

bookmaker drew my attention to the coin baing valueless; I went to accused and said I want 10j from you. He said

What for? I said for the half ticket I He said I gave you 10s; I said you did not, you gave ma that, shoving him the coin. He said I got it from my mate. I told him if he did not hand over the 10j I would give him ia charge. I did not sue him again until he was arrested. I went, to Constable Bea'tie and gave him the coin, and he said it was counterfeit* On Saturday night saw accused gi into the Criterion, and showed him to the police, and he was arrested. lam sure the accused is the man.

To accused: Am sure you are the man who gtvo me the ooin. Pull Cry won. You were ouiside the saddling paddock, Annie Milne, daughter of the last witness: Was at the races with my father; saw accused there speaking to my father; saw him ott'iiring money, which looked like half a sovereign; was not ive away, bus did not hear what passed. S*w my father go towards the machine, and come away from it; hoard my father say he had taken a ticket. Heard him tell cusad the coin wag a had one. I Constable Beattie: Was at ths races last Wednesday; saw Boswell there; he gave me ths coin produced. Constable Lind gave eviJence that jthe accused was printed oui \o him by Boswell, and ha (OonstaMe Lii.d) charged him, and arrested him. He said he had never saen Bjswell in his life, and had not given him any half sovereign,

To accused: I arrested you, did not ask you if your name was Hickey. Mr Boswell, recalled, to aceussd: When you gave me your naru3 in the Police Station, 1 said that is not tha mme you gave me on the coursi; the name you gave me there was Bill Hickey.

Accused then went into the box and denied all knowledge of the transaction, Had no reco'lection of seeing the accused ; whs in the saddling paddock at the timi referred to; also never saw the lady who h d given evidence. To the Sergeant: My occupitton is amongst hjrses; am generally known as Pu'S Ooliius ; have dona no woik for a fortnight; last worke lin Wellington; came to Now Plymouth on Tuesday evening ; bad .£lO or £l2 ; have won between £8 aud .£lO since I hive been here. Had only oni peouy whan arrested ; had lent a frieud sonn money which I expect to get.

The S.M., said hs had no doub' th<* 'charge was correct, and thit accused was oae of those who followed races, He would be septenced to three months imprisonment, with hard labour,