SUPREME COURT.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXV, Issue 211, 2 October 1903, Page 2

SUPREME COURT.

(Before En Honor Mr Justice 11 Edwards.) ___ o Thuksday, October 1, On tho Oourt resuming at 10 am. fcho Post Office robbery case at R.hotu was continued. The following were the jury:—B. Wdls (foreman), S. CJiegg, A. Drakp, i ,T. Hollo, H, Biuchopn, G. Bich, P. i <3. McEwan, A. Cole, J. Siaderaon, J. 1 Wade, R. White, E. Griffiths. The accused called several witnesses and then briefly addressed the jury. i Mr Kerr made no remarks. < The Judge summed up v:;ry strongly : against the accused, and the jury, after I ii short rotiroment, brought in a verdict i of guilty. Tre accused was removed and will i ba brought up this morning for senI tence.

KOJiBERY FROM THE PERSON. Johu Qoorge Henry BLia was thpn charged with stealing the sura of j£9 From the persan of James G'.Su'livan in the Coramorcid Hotel, Stratford, on the 26 sh August, and pleaded not guilty. Mi' Kerr conducted the oaae for the Grown, the prisoner conducting his own case, The following jury were sworn: George Pearce (foreman), Geo. A. Oolson, A. Oldham, H. Huilo, A. Mace, 0. Ward, William Madder, J. W. Kawlinson, G. E. So'e, J, Shore, S, James, and A. Mills. Toe principal witnesses were James O'Sullivan and Mrs Fleming, licensee of the Commercial Hotel, and the facts attempted to be proved were that accused drugged O'Sullivan, got him into a back room, and robbed him, leaving! him hcked in. I

The accused, who showed a good deal of ability in ex < mining and cross-ex-amining wine ses, stou'ly denied the charge, and called several witnesses to account for his movements and conduct on the day in question. The prisoner then addressed the jury, showing that ha had accounted for the money in Lis possession, He then went on to point out the discrepancies in the evidence. His Honor then summed up the evidence, and said he thought O'Sullivan had told a true story as far as ha but Mrs Fleming clearly had not told the truth about O'Sullivan, who, th'-re was no doubt, was di-gustirgly drunk. The whole case huog on ho* tnuah they believed of Mrs Fleming's evidence. The case was a very unsatisfactory one, and he was glad the jury had to folve the riddle and not be. After a short retirement, the jury returned with a verdict of "not guilty." Addressing the accused, His Honor said the jury were quite right to acquit him, but he had better give up frequenting public houses because his doing so had caused grave suspicion to rest upon bim, and he had only got himself to bhme. He had better be careful not to get into trouble in future. The prisoner was then discharged. I ARSON,

George Hitchcock and J. I. Salmon were charged with arson at Stratford. Salmon pleaded guilty and Hitchcock not guilty. Salmon gwas then removed and ordered to be brought up for senteace this miming. Mr Kerr conducted the case for the Grown, and Mr T 0. Fookea with Mr Fi'zgerald for the accused. The following jury were sworn: —J. Little (foreman), J. Wade, S. Griffith o , R. White, J. Sanderson, A. 0. Collin", P. G. McEwan, F. Pro3aer, W. Pellew, S. Gleg?, John Rollo, and B. Wells. Mr Kerr opened his case, detailing the facts which he proposed to prove. He culled E, F. Hemingway, Town Olerk of Sratford, who produced the borough roll showing the ownership of the property where the fire occurred. Susan Hitchcock, the wife of the accused, and Thos, Hitchcock were the owners. To Mr Fi'zgerald: The oapital value of the section is £9OO, the unimproved value £6OO. To Mr Kerr: The value is that of the property at the time the fire occurred. John Isaac Ba'mor, sworn, said he was in the employ of Mr Hitchcock for some t*o years. Knew the accused, he was manager of the business for his brother and wife. Went with accused to the Finerty-road in February, 190]., doming home, accused said: Ike, we want a new shop and factory on the other two sections,, if you will do the job I will give you £2O. I said all right. A week or so later he ssid he wanted to get the insurance to put up the other building. It was not to be done till he told me, as he wanted the stock lowered as much as possible, 4llsj Si id he wanted to wait till his brother Tom was up the country. Ofl the previous Tuesday he cold ma a tou of tow was comi"g. It arrived on Friday. He told oil three lads to get the tow in. I was to bust the binds and take it in loose. It ws4 then arranged hat accused and I were to go down after tea to put in some staples in the ceiling posts. A s'ring was to be run through with a big iron boll', so that it could drop on some matuhes and set fire to the tow. I was to work it from (she engine room, as the room in which the tow was was overlooked by several buildings. It was all as arranged, and the fire occurred on the Monday, I did it under instructions from Mr George Hitchcock, the accused. The buildiDg was in bad condition, and only worth £250. An ii quiry was held by the Insurance Office. I gave evidenca Remained in the employ of the firm for abouli two months. The Mtawing Friday the accused started building on another site. Received four payments from acousel amounting to £5 on account of the £2O. I lefs to take over the turnery at Eliham in consequence of a dispute over two boards. Prisoner m ide several attempts to get me back to work for the firm. To Mr Foakes: Thomas Hitchcock went to Taihape a fortnight after thu fire. Before that he was back and forth. Cannot s-\y if Thomas Hitchcock was in Stratford at the time I made the arrangement with accused. About four months bef jre he wanted me to burn down a cottage for him The new building is worth £4OO, He sud a ton of tow would come in on Thursday or Friday. It cariie, but I cannot say if it c*m9 on Frid iy or Thursday. Put the whole of the tow in loose. [Plan marked O put in.] Preparations for tho fire were going on for some months, furniture and material belrg got all ready to bs got out and saved. Anyone could see this. I and the bnys got the tow in, but I burst the bands, not letting the boys sae me. I cut the bands with a knifo. ; Witness here described the position of the string and bolt. The matoh-heads plawd un4ay ihg bgH qn th?

morning <•'< th > fir", At 5 p m. tbc Court a<ij turned to 10 a.m. to-ilay, Oa the application of Mr Fookes, accused was granted bail.