SUPREME COURT.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 9, 4 February 1909, Page 2

SUPREME COURT.

WELLINGTON SESSIONS, | By Telegraph.—Press Association, Wellington, Wednesday. Tliu criminal (sessions of the Supreme Court commenced to-day before Mr. Justice Cooper. In charging the Crand Jury, his Honor said lie regretted that there was a considerable amount oi business to transact. There were .'l7 I charges against eighteen different per'sons. Many of the eases came from I tlie country districts still it was to be regretted that the calendar was larger thau usual in Wellington, and Hut the oll'enees which were charged against the respective persons were for the most part, of a serious nature I There were a number of eases of housi breaking and assault and robbery, am a (highway robbery, indicating the pre Hence of n number of undesirable peu

pic. ' Ceorge Wood-ley, a youth, on two charges of forgery at I'almerston, was sentenced to tweive months' imprisonment, with the provision tliat lie may be removed to an industrial school. 'Frederick W. D. Anderson, for theft /roin a dwelling at Wavcrley. was sen I tcnced to two years' imprisonment, and Win. •(*. 131iun. for breaking and enter-

ing, to live years' imprisonment. ! Wellington. Night. . Tin' (Jrtind Jury at the SnprcniM Court to-day found a no bill in the case of Uobert ( harles Collins, who is charged with tin- death of a man named Ferguson. It wa:t alleged that o.i ..i Saturday night in D<vi mb< y Collins struck l*erga»sou a blow, from the efleet of which he died. Collins >aid was making u disturbance, and lie merely pushed .him, and that a- Ferguson wa» standing .on the edge of the footpath and was r .lot sober be fell.

iIIKAYV CItOIM)F lil'lKiLAliV CASKS. i STIFF SENT KMC KS. i Wellington, Uist Night, i At the Supreme Court to-day James Qvay Horsefield was sentenced to two (years' hard labor for breaking and entering and thieving at Paluierston tXorih. Samuel Ueswiek, for cattle-

stealing (six charges), was sentenced ; 0 ilive years' hard labor. David Herbert it'arv'osso was sentenced to 12 mouths' iliard labor for forgery and uttering at iMasterton. Omrigio Tolley illenderson, for six offences of breaking, ■entering ami thieving in -Masterton and iCartertoTi districts, were each sentenced ito seven years' hard labor. Harry llen--I'ilv.son, an elderly man, was sentenced ,to seven years' hard labor for breaking, lentering and stealing at Wellington i(two charges). Mitt'ord George Burgess,

fil years of age, pleaded guilty to eleven charges of breaking, entering and thiev;iug ill and around Wellington, it was Mhown that there was a long list of convictions against the prisoner for .offences committed in Australia. He was sentenced to seven, years' imprisoniment and declared uu habitual criminal. ■Henry. Williams, alias Watson, alias (Fienberg, was sentenced to five years' thard labor for breaking, entering and ♦stealing. .Joseph Xormau was charged with atitompting to murder Alexander Armstrong, governor of Wellington Terrace igaolf where Xonnfiii was n .prisoner.

(Norman, it was stated, stabbed Mr. Armstrong in the hack ut' the neck with ia chisel. Had Mr. Armstrong turned ihut a fraction of an inch just before ; ithc blow was struck it must have been 1 ifatal. The prisoner said ho had n<» | iwilnesM's to call, lie would not give tr-videncc. and he did not ' ' anyhow. 'Ever since he had hern ia »uol tlioy

ihud been trying to kill h:i:i with gasea . and stulV they put on hi- u<e. The] ijni'V found accused guilty of woundms r.inii doing actual bodily harm with the iitention of doing grievous bmlilyharm. ,11 is Honor Mr. Justice Cooer said pripouer should he brought up mi Mond iv ,:'or sentence, and be examined m the .meantime to see if he were sane. Kdward Richard Black admitted six .••barges of breaking, entering and stealin."/ It was shown that prisoner had served manv sentences for serious primes since 18118. lie was sentenced to seven veal's' hard labor a'.id declared an habitual criminal. Frederick Arnold was convicted of common assault and reimanded for sentence.