CHARGE OF FORGERY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 252, 30 November 1909, Page 4

CHARGE OF FORGERY.

ACCUSED COMMITTED FOR TRIAL.

Ilu the .Magistrate's Court ; yesterday morning, before Mr. 11. S. FiLzhci'be'rt, K.M., if man named Shepherd was charged with the theft of a watch and chain, valued at 20s, and 30s in money, from the person of Thomas Palmer, at Waitara, on 27th October. Sergeant Haddrell prosecuted. Accused was not represented by counsel. Thomas Palmer, a statiun baud at Piripiri station, in the Awakmo district, remembered being in Waitara on the day prior ui hies reporting his loss to the police, lie remembered going with some friends into the Waitara Hotel with Rui Battley, of Tongaporutu. Later in the evening, just belore closing time, lie went outside. Battley left him there. Next thing Ate remembered was that he "came to," lying hi the middle of the yard. His watch and chain were missing, and some money. He had 33s when he arrived at Waitara, but had no idea how mucli of it was left, when he went into the yard. He reported his loss to the police. 'He identilied his watch and chain, produced in court, the cliam being detached from the watch, to which was linked another. His name was scratched inside the watch. He did not know the accused, and had never given him the watch, or lent it to him,

'the accused commenced to make a statement that he had picked up the watch in the street near the Golden Grid. He was checked, however, and told that at this stage he was only allowed to question witnesses. The Bench, to witness: Vou were drunk, I suppose? Witness: 1 was the worse for liquor, your Worship, but 1 consider I was capable. I believe I was knocked down iu tlie yard, not that I fell over, drunk. Constable Lapouple, stationed at Waitara, gave evidence of tho'former witness having, on the morning of 28tn October, reported that' he. had been robbed of his watch and cnaia and j,umc money on the previous night. Palmer .described the articles to him. On lutn November he arrested tne accused on another charge, and found the watch and a chain in his possession. Asked lum where he got the watch from, and tne accused replied, "Fronfc Wellington. Asked how long he had had it, tlie accused answered , "For three months. Witness then asked, "Is it your property?" and the reply was •Y.es." Tin accused had been about Waitara continually for the past live months. Constable Mclvor, stationed at New Plymouth, deposed that he had arrested the accus'cd on the present charge m New Plymouth on 23rd instant, under warrant. Read over the warrant to him, and he replied, "1 beg your pardon, sir. I know nothing about it.' On 'searching him at the police station accused pulled a chain out of his pocket, and said, "This is the chain that is m dispute. 1 picked it up between the Silver Grid and Pearce's ulacksinitii s shop. The chain that is on the watch that Constable Lapouple has got is my property." The accused also said tba't the chain he now held was attached to the -watch when he found it, and that Herbert Longstaff was with him wlien he picked it up. Herbert Longstaff, a.laborer at Waitara, said he "had never seen the accused pick up a watch and chain at Waitara.

Questioned by the accused, the witness said he had been about with tlie accused, but Jiad never seen him pick up a watch and chain.

~ The accused man made a statement that he had picked up the watch and chain between the Silver Grid and Pearce's blacksmith's siiop at Waitara at about 8 o'clock one evening about a month ago. As for the money, he knew nothing at all about that. Asked to plead, he. stated that he ■would plead guilty to finding the watch and chain. Upon the state of affairs being explained to him, he pleaded ''not guilty. Accused stated his inability to find bail, and -was committed to pnsu'h to await his trial at the next local sessions of the Supreme Court in March next