RESIDENT MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2120, 4 November 1890, Page 3

RESIDENT MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

Timaru—Monday, November 3bd,

[Before C. A. Wray, Esq., KM.] ALLEGED BOKGBRT AND BTTBdING. Edward Lender Prrceval w*s charged ' with forging and uttering a cbeq-v> for £7, i on the Bnnk of Ntw Nealand, Ternuka, on the 21st October. Rd; Humphiey, w»tchua>be', Timaru, stated the prisoner (whom he h»o known for three yoire, as theßon of M a Perceval, now licensee of ao hotel at Teinoky) c-.rne to his shop on the 21st ulf., end booght a watch and a ring, and lender d in payment a cheque (produced) for £7 which he said was bia mother'*. G»vr |> m tl>« articles and 30s change. Then noticed that the cheque was postdated. «r>d toid prisoner he woold not tike it. Prisoner replied th*t hiß mother hid m-ide a clerical error na to the date. To»k the cluque on the strength of its being Mr* Perceval's and on ■no other grounds. Prisoner endorsed the ch que. Did not presen* the chiqua at the b<uk, but on the 43rd went to Temuka atn< e-.w Mrs Perceval, who said the * gnaiiie was not her*. On that laid an intonua inu. Mary Ann Perceval stated thai she w«s an hotel'keeper at Temuka, and formerly was ic business in Timaru ; accused wis her son. She had not signed lh<- cheque produced, no' BU'horised anyim to sign \t for bef. Had not an account at the gink of New goiland, Teuiukt ; ke.pt her account at the Rink of New Suu Wales. Knew no one else of the sam* n»u> rt , <n or about Temoka. Knew "her sou's baudwriting ; did not recognise it in the body of ?be cheque. The sgnatare wus very like her own. R. T. Pmckne.y, caehier at the Bank of New Zealand, Temuka, showe i that no one named Mary Aun P«rcev<l has ao account at that bank. Auy snch cinques would be valueless^ Prisoner had nothing to say in reply. The prisoner was next charged with forging, and uttering to Mr P. O'Meeghan, licensee of the Old Bmk Hote*, Timaru, « cheque for £6 10s on the same d*y, 21st ulh P. O'Meeghan said he had known accused for some time. On the d.ie named accused ai-ked hiip to cash the cheque produced. On seeing it asked if it was tb« old lady's, and accused oodded, as much as to say it was, Cashed he cheque on the strength of it being Mre Perce»a 'a. Took the cbrqne «nd barked it next day He»rd during the day thit thee cheque? K wre no good. Got the cheque b>ck and Be nt to Temuka. Give V ■■* accused £6 8* 6d in change. Did not see accused .gam nnljl after his arret?'. Did not pqtipe th*t the cheque was pustulated till the 220 d. Had never cashed a cheque for bun before. Did not r. s »mioe the fcheque closely, knowing Mr- Pwrceval so "Vrs Perceval and E. T. P..>ckney gave similar evidence ss in the l»st o»oe»

In a third case the accuswd was charged with forging aud uitaring to tdward Kullivm, licensee of the Melv'lle Hotel, a a tnilar cheque for £6 10* on the same date.

E. Sullivan said he did not tnke the cheque bimswl?, but got it in the till at night on the 21« t ; did Dot see uccused ut aI. Placed 'he cheque io th« Colooiil Barjk next day. From what he he«rd there went to Temuka and saw Mrs i'erceval, aDJ in consequence of what she faid went io the police. Mrs Perc val and ft. T. Pmckoey gave evidence ne in the previous case.

Sarah Crorjm, banned ut the Melville, thought the nccii.-ed was the person for wlkm she c»6h*d ihe cheque on the 2lm. Asked him whose cheque it was, ind he said Mrs Perceval's, of IVinuk-. He did not say it was* hie iiioth'r's. Accused *M:S coromrted for trial, on each of the three charge*, at tt.e next si ting of the Suprtma Court at Tm;»ru. His Worship fixed bait at t so sureties of £IOO each. ALLEGED LARGENY. Daniel Mann, alias Wm, George Graham was charged with stealing a £5 note, th a property of James Q laid, from th» dwelling hause of Malcolm McL*od, at Burke's Pass, on tee 25th or 26 .h October. The evidence of the infoimant Jameß Quaid, a farmer of Pleasant Valley, showed thath<9 was on a visit to Burke's P*ss aud on the night of Saturday the 25th slept in McLeod's Hotel in a room with t*o others. He had about £7 in mon<sy, a Bank of New Zealand £5 note in a purse in his coat pocket and about £2 in a trouaei's pockat. On wak ng in tho rooming found hie purse empty, stuck in h s watch pocket. The other two men h s room-mates, friends, both respectable men, were then still in bead. On getting up informed Mr McLeod of his loss, and mentioned that the candle-stick which he «ook to the bed-room had beeu r moved. Had seen the prisoner in the hotel the previous evening and he was th»re when witness left. Was not disturbed during the night. Laßt saw the £5 note about 5 o'clock in the evening.

ulalcolm McLsod, hotelkeeper, deposed to accused ca ling at the hotel and representing himself as a tailor. He gave him a few odd iobs to do. Accused no money except the few shillings he earned bt the hotel, aud when he left about 4 o'clock on the morning of the robbery witness gave him 2s to help him on the road. A. O. Gilmour, licensee of tbe Gladstone Hote', Fairlie Creek, showed th»t accused came to his house on the 27th, called for three drinks, and tendered io payment a £5 note, which witness subsequently gave to tbe constable'

Consiabla Hilliard, who arrested accused, said when asked where he got 'he note, at first said he earned it at Burke's Pass, he did not know from whom ; then th»t he had ssyed it; next that he got it frem Mr Packman, of Ashburtoo. Then arrested him.

William Packman, licensee of the Somerset Hotel, Ashburton, deposed to accused calling at bis hotel about two months ago and being given a pint of beer. He got no £5 note from witness. Accused was committed for trial, and a charge of stealing a book was withdrawn.