SUPREME COURT,

Temuka Leader, Issue 2064, 26 June 1890, Page 2

SUPREME COURT,

Timaru—Tuesday, June 24th. Before His Honor Mr Justice Dennistoun. CRIMINAL SESSION. The fnu r-monchly session of the Supreme Court at Timaru opened this morning at 11 o’clock. The Grand Jury having been sworn and addiessed by His Honor, they retired and soon brought in a true bill in the case of FORGERY aND UTTERING. Wi li m Davie pleaded not guilty to a charge of forging the name of Thomas Groundwater, of Geraldine, to a promissory note tor £l6 10 j , and uttering the same on the 14h December last knowing tire same to be (urged. Mr Raymond appeared for the defence-

The evidence was to the effect that the prisoner on the 14Ui Decembar came to James Sanderson, Timaru, and asked him to raise raooey on a horse, saddle, and bridle, which Sanderson could not do. Prisoner then got a promissory note from Sanderson, and later in the day he went to W. R. Quinn and got the bill discounted, The Dill bore the name of Thomas Groundwater, of Woodbury, and was proved to have been a forgery. The prisoner, who was sworn on oath, sod he got a bill from C. Leach for £l7 10s, and took it to Sanderson to discount. Several days afterwards Sanderson gave him the forged bill for it. A large number of witnesses were examined, and the jury returned a verdict of “ Guilty of forgery, but not guilty of uttering.” THE SANDERSON FORGERIES. James Sanderson was then called on to answer four charges of forgery—(l) on the 11th day of March, 1890, an order for £3 ; (2) on the Bth day of March for £3 ; (3) on the Bth day of March for £5 4s, and (4) on the 10th day of March an oider for £2, all on the B.nk of New Zaaland. The prisoner pleaded guilty Mr J. W. White appeared for the Crown, and Mr James Hay for the accused.

Mr Hay urged His Honor to take into account the surroundings of the case, the charges being the first on which prisoner had ever appeared in Court. His Honor could not treat cases of forgery as he wou d minor offences, and unuer the circumstances cmdi not accede to the request of Mr Hay. Prisoner would be sentenced to 12 months’ hard labor on each charge, the sentences to run concurrently. LARCENY. Dennis Wright (Oamaru case) pleaded not gu Ity to a charge cf stealing an indiarubber hose from a Chinaman named Ah Sdoug, in U-iruru. The evidence weht to show that the Chinaman lost some bose, and that some was found on tha premises of the prisoner, Peter Wiliams, auctioneer, and his c'erk, J. R. Roberts, showed that the prisoner bad bought hose at an auction sale, an 1 this having been corroborated by the prisoner and his two daughters, the jury returned a verdict of ‘‘ Not guilty.” Wednesday, June 25, The Court resumed at 10 a.ra. THE DAYIE rOKGBRY. William Davie was placed in the dock for sentence. Mr Raymond asked His Honour to take into consideration the fac that the prisoner hid been in prison since March last, that lh'- jury had found him guilty of uttering only, recognising the hand of another person in the forgery, and that the prisoner had previously borne a good character.

His Houour said there bad been two persona engaged io it, but he saw no reason to suppose one was not as deeply in it ns the other. Ha whs satisfied th-t the second bill was forged, and that the who'e thing wis concocted between the two men, so that although the jury had found the prisoner guilty only of uttering, there was no doubt he was equally concerned in the forgery. He would be sentenced to twelve months hard labour. That was not a long sentence for forgery ; in determining it he had taken into account the circumstances m?ntioned by Mr Raymond. HOKSK STEALING. George White pleaded not guilty to a charge of stealing in April 1889, a gelding, saduie and bridle, and an overcoat, the property of John Shaw, stablekeeper. Mr Huy appeared for prisoner. The drown Prosecutor, stated his case to the jury. On \pril 11th, 1889, he prisoner went to Shaw's stable and hired for £1 a horse (well knoarn in the disuict as “ Bed Robin”), saddle, and bridle for three days, saying he was going to see some friends beyond Temuka, and, the day being wet, Mr Shaw lent him on overcoat. Two days after he sold the horse by auction at Oamaru, ia the opposite direction from Temuka, and the ne .t day he sold the saddle and bridle privately to Mr Relphep at Oamaru. The prisoner not coming back with the horse, Mr Shaw madp inquiries, and recovered his property at Qamarq. Mr Shaw could not identify the man, but a joung man named West, who happened ie be iq l(m liable at the time of the hiring, would swear that prisoner was the unn who hired the horse, and two witnesses from Oamarn wou’d also swear that prisoner was the man who sold the things. Evidence to the effect of the Crown Prosegqton's statement was given, and counsel bn both ag v?pll as the learno t judge, having addressed the jujjy, a verdict of guilty was returned.

STEALING FROM THE PERSON, pupifl gtewart was then arraigned on the .charge of havffjg on the 24 h of April laef. stolen pertain money frqrp fhe perso;j of |ohu Wood head at Qeraldioe. 3V[r Raymond appeared for the defence Tim prfdgppp ip this case was Similar 1q that recently published by Ha when the case was heard ip Geraldine. Briefly stated, it purported, to show that the prosecutor, John Wood* head, had on him about £2l of money when he mot the prisoner in Terauka, and both went together in a gig to Geraldine where they got drunk. Mr Woodkead ¥ Q nt to sloop on a sofa in the bar parlor of the Oroyh hofel f a n d the prisoner was found asleep outside" tije hotel. When Mr Woodheai awoke he found' himself penniless, and accused the prisoner of having taken his money. Subsequently Constable Willoughby, {in searching the prisoner iopad about £l6 in his possession. Amongst this 'monpy was a £1 BPte wbigh had been patched up, and Mr

Woodhead recognised it as his. It was also recognised by a barmaid who gave it to Mr Woodhead. It was also found that the prisoner changed a cheque in the b»r of the Crown hotel, which bo r e the signature of Mr D. McCuinness, Timatu, and which Mr Woodhead had in his possession. The foil owing sworn statement was made by the prisoner : David Stewart ; 1 remember meeting Woodhead on the 24th of April last, between 9 and 10 a.m., at the Royal Hole', Temuka. I had a few drinks on the previous night in the Arowherma Hotel. We had two or three drinks in the Royal. We got a gig and drove to Winchester, had a drink, and Mr Woodhead asked “What will the gig cost?" I said, “I don't know.” “ Well,” he said, “I will give you my part of it.” Give me £l, but I lad no change. Went to ilia Bush Hotel and had » shake for drinks, and I won from him. Went afterwards to the Crown. Woodhead gave me the cheque to .cash for him, We were all drunk. We were throwing tor half crowns. Woodhead paid me after we knocked off playing. I went into a little room, 1 left him in the room, on a chair near the table. I laid down on the sofa, and after a while felt bad and went out. I remember being roused up by somebody, but don't know who. Don’t remember having a drink with Mr Rae* 1 was roused again by Constable Willoughby and taken to the police station. Cons*abl n Willoughby accused me of robbing Woodhead. He made out a searco warrant, but cou'd not get a J.P. to sign it, and I consented to be searched. I drew £l3 from Mr Oldfield at the latter end of the previous week, I had all this with me with the exception of £2 which I paid Mr Angland, I received £63os from Mr Walsh fora horse I got two days before. I paid £6 for the horse. I got £lO from Mr Counihau the previous evening. I had from £lO to £ll in my possession on the 24th. 1 won the balance off Woodhead, and the£l he gave in Winchester. To Mr White: Had about £l3 the night before in the Arowhenua Hotel. I got from Mr Oldfield £5 on the Friday and £6 on the Saturday. I paid £6 for ths horse and got £6 10* for ir. I got £1 at Winchester from Mr Woodhead. I did not invite Mr Woodhead to go. He agreed to go, Mr R«e is a stranger to me, I cashed Mr Walsh’s cheque at the Star HotC. Don’t remember cautioning the constab'e not to search me. Lent Mr Woodhead 10s 6d at Geraldine. Did not owe Mr Woodhead any.money on it. It was before cashing the £2 cheque that we were shaking for half-crowns. We had a shaks after it was cashed. 1 don’t know that Mr Greaves was present. (The case was not concluded whan onr reporter had to leave to catch the express.)