SUPREME COURT.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1886, 2 May 1889, Page 2

SUPREME COURT.

CRIMINAL SESSIONS

Timaru—Tuesday April 80,1889.

(Before His Honor Mr Justice Deanistoun.) The four-monthly session of the Supreme Court in Tim«ru commenced on Tuesday last. Mr J. W. White, on behalf of the members of the Bar, briefly welcomed Hia Honor, it being his first visit to Timaru in his judicial cipacity. The grand jury returned true bills in every case.

JORQERY AND OTTERING. W. Houxon, charged with forging aM uttering a cheque for £ll 15s (the Tim.*ru Hotel case), pleaded guilty. A previous conviction (1885) for false pretencas was msntioned. Hii Honor sentenced him to 13raonth« impritonment, with hard Übor. SHOOTING ■WITH INTENT. Duncan Gilchrist was charged with ■hooting, on the 21st March, at John McDonald, at Otepopo, with int«nt (1) to main him, (2) to disfigure him, (3) to disable, or (i) to do him grievous bodily harm.

Ajcused pleaded not guilty. Mr Newton, of Oamaru, appeared for prisoner. The evidence for the prosecution showed that prosecutor, with a man named Palmer, went to accused's home about some photos, which prosecutor thought he I)ad taken from him. White there a quarrel arose, and accused got his mother to fetch a gun, which he then fired at proeeeutor at a distance of sixteen or seventeen yards. One of the pellets of shot struck him in the stomach and another an the arm. Prosecutor admitted that he had since been convicted of as-' saulting both the father and mother rA. accused on that occasion. ~. For tho defence, it was admitted that some of the shots had struck the prosecutor, but the gun was fired in the air, and then only to frighten th* prosecutor after he had assault* I accused's father and mother, the latter between 54 and 55 years of age, knocking both down. The prosecutor was from JO to 100 yards away wh«B the gun whs fired. The jury returned a verdict of not guilty, and accused was dinoharged. KEEPING DISORDERLY HOUSE. Elizabeth McKenzie was indicted for keeping a disorderly house at Oamaru. The prisoner was not defended. Mr White prosecuted. T. O'Brien, detective officer, T. O'Grady, »ers(t. of police, Porcival Church, carter, Ernest Lee, solicitor, and other* gave evidence as to the nuisance accused'* house was and tho character of the inmates.

Accused said she had bien in the bous* four years, and this was th* first complaint she bad heard. She hod only taken some people in for two or three> days until they got a house of their own, and had been in prison five weeks awaiting trial.

I The jury found a verdict of guilty, and | His Honor sentenced the uccuaed to six. mooihs' imprisonment. BREAKING AND ENIERIN9 AND LAKCENT.. Albert Hoskins pleaded not guilty Vo a charge of feloniously breaking into and entering the shop of J. W. Pye, aft/. Geraldine, on March 17tb, and. SteaK™* therefrom ono pair of trousers nod afro pair of booty, the property of the said J. VV. Pye. The evidence in this case, for the prosecution was similar to tliat given in tha R.M. Court, Geraldine, last week. Accused was undefended. Defendant culled H. H. Parker, wh»' had b*en slaying with him since February,; A. J. Wadsworth, G. Witt, and' J. Bowden, to prove that he had worn the troueers before the date of the robbery. Nous of the witnesses would awe&r to them, they had not noticed particularly, but all swore he had worn trousers resembling Ibero. Parker and snother witness aleo stated that the accused's child! could not have worn tha boots as alleged,, on account of having a sore foot, whioh; would have prevented her getting it on*. The accused said he hud bought theu trousers at Gabites and Plaote's sal* for 9s, His girl had had the boots in question for Sunday wear since Christmas* The lamp contained salad oil, not oolzi, and did not hak. His Honor summed up, stating that as prisoner was undefended he must take special care to protect him by drawing special attention to> the points in the evidence which were iw his favor. The jury brought in a verdict of "Nor) guilty," direr a few minutes retirement, and accused was discharged. The Court then adjourned unfiJ 10 o'clock next morning.