RESIDENT MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

Temuka Leader, Issue 270, 15 July 1880, Page 2

RESIDENT MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

WEDNESDAY, JULY .14,

Before F. Guineas Esq., R.M and S D Barker, Esq, J. P,

LARCENY.

Frederick Nelson was brought up on remand from Monday last for hayin . stolen from one Wm.' Lewis one silver watqh and gold chain, over the value of Lll

Wm, Lewis, laborer, Temuka, said . The accused, Frederick Nelson, has beenworkingwithmefor3months. On Ist March was in Ca'rs house, in Temuka. I was there about 10 or 11 in the. morning, and left the house between 4 and 5 o'clock in the evening, accused left the house with me, and I went straight to my own house. Accused accompanied me. I went into the house, A man name! Wm. Scott was living in the house. I sat on the back door step, outside the house. I had had a little beer and I fell asleep. Soon after some one came and shook me. I may have slept" for an hour, when I woke I loolcad for my watch and found it was gone. I had on the vest that lam now wearing ; the watch was in the side pocket. The side pocket was torn when the watch was taken from me. There was a gold chain attached to the watch, and the end hanging in another pocket. This was the only fastening the watch had. The wat..h was an b'nglish hunting silver watch. The makers name was Denton, of London. Ido not know ihe number. Mr Younur, at Timaru, who had cleaned the watch left his mme on a ticket inside. I got the number of the watch from a man named W. Black foreman for Mr Young. The watch i roduced is mine. The name oi the ma *er was Denton, of London, and the number 6351. Black gave me the document produced. the day that I lost ti.e watch, I pulled it out to look at the time in Cars' house. The accused was in my company then, I v»lue the watch now :tL4or L 5. The chain was taken at the same time as the watch, and I vulue it at L 4. By the prisoner : I am not sure I had the watch when I went home.

By the Police : i was drunk when I want home.

By the prisoner: You came into Cars' about two hours after me. I called you in. I can't say that you came iri the first time 1 called you. Mrs Mary Car depjsed : I am wife of Owen Car. About this Ist March last I saw Lewis in my house. Prisoner was in his company then. The prisoner and Lewis left my house between 4 and 6 o'clock that afternocn. Lewis then had a chain hanging from his waistcoat pocket; the chain wis of a yellow color. I saw Lewis pull a watch out, and he said it was 4 o'clock ; th y went out in the direction of Lewis' house. Soon after I saw Lewis and the accused I saw accused and Scott passing my house, and a little while after that came in and (omplained of having lost his watch. Lewis, when he left my house, was the worse of liquor Eliza Douglas, wife of James Douglas, living in Temuka, deposed: I know both Lewis and the prisoner. 1 know Lewis' house.; my house is near Lewis', there being only a section between. On the Ist March last I saw Lewis sitting on the steps of his back door ; this was olose upon 5 o'clock. I saw prisoner trying to waken him By the piisoner—l saw Scott stand ing in the passage of Lewis' house at the time.

Lyon O'Downman Benjamin, detective, stationed at Christchurch, deposed : I reaiember the 24th of May last. On that day there was a steeplechase at the Christchurch racecourse. I was on the course a little after 2 o'clock. An affray took place at the back of the grand stand, and shortly after I went into one ot the booths ; there was a crowd there, aud the prisoner came in directly after me. I heard him say to one of the men there I have just picked this watch up I told him who I was, and took possession of the watc'a produced . When I got it it was covered with a substance like wax or soap ; not like the soil of the court o I gave prisoner the number of the watch on the memo produced, and told him if it was not claimed he would get it. I have never seen the prisoner since until to-day Cross-examined by the prisoner : I remembar seeing a man (Crawley) on the course that day VI-don't kno,w that he was !n the booth then Crawley did not introduce you to me. The person jou were s owing the watch to was standing up. Crawley did not tell you to hand the watch to me in my hearing. You came up to the police station. I took yur namedcwn, and where you lived. By the police : I suggested that he should come to the stition next day. By the prisoner : I took a locket from Crawley, reported to have been stolen. Crawley satisfactorily accounted " for having possession of it. Wtn. Black, watchmaker, Temuka, sworn, deposed : I was employed bv Mr Young in Timaru up to the end of November last. I can't say that I remember the wateh. I remember getting the number of the watch. Lewis came and asked for the number of a watch which had been left there for repairs by one Richard Juggins. I saw the ■'Watch that. Juggins brought to it was similar to the one produced. I knew th« handwriting of the document produced, marked A : it is that at Martin's, at Youngs. I received it■■uf"a letter from him, but can't produce.the letter. Wm. Lewis, on being re call«d by the Police, 1 said : I bought thi* watch

about the Jitter end of last winter fr< m one Richard Juggins. Sergt, Pari yon, sworn, deposed , On the evening of the llthjnst. I arrested the prisoner on the charge of stealing a watch, and chain from the person of Wm. Lewis, He said «that is very hot" ', and in accompanying i»3 upstaiis for his swag, said : That must be proved, and, on the way to ihe lockup said he had picked ;he watch up on the racecourse, Christ church This was the case for the posecution. Prisoner was asked if he had anything to say. Prisoner, in reply, said : Can it bo thought possible that I wou'd have taken tfte watch from Lewis'whom'l had been working with for three ifc likely that I would have taken the watch to the Christchurch racecourse, and given it up to the constable. I had plenty of chances to have made away with the watch if I had stolen it. Prisaner further said : I had plenty of time and money to have cleared out. I knew the police were after me, but I was innoeent, and did not know anything about it.

His Wonhip committed the prisoner for trial at the next session of tinSupreme Court, to be held at Timaru.

A number of civil cases were then heprd, a report of which will appear in next isaue