RESIDENT MAGISTRATE'S COURT

Thames Star, Volume IIII, Issue 1744, 5 August 1874, Page 2

RESIDENT MAGISTRATE'S COURT

THIS DAT.' ("Before WV B£asbb, Esq., R.M.) DBTTNK AND DISOJ* DEBIT.

William Baker, alias Ballarat Bill, was charged with.being drunk and disorderly in Pollen-street,; Shortland.: Defendant pleaded not guilty. Fined-20s or 48 hours' imprisonment.

XAHCENY.

William Chalmers was brought up on remand (on bail) charged with having feloniously stolen and carried away in the month of December last a gold scarf-pin, the property of Wm. Cassin. Mr. Dodd for defendant. ,

All witnesses were ordered out of Court.. ; ... . . .'"-\ ..,,. Mr. Sullen staAi that this was a case of simple larceny .^liThe pin lost was the Eroperty of one of two brothers.. One ad lent it to the other, \ who had gone into Mr. Maddens shop. On leaving'it ho missed the pin. Some time afterward* Mr; Cassin saw the pin. in the prisoner's scarf. Mr. Cassin said-^Ybu are wearing my pin. Accused said the pin had been in"his family some years. j^No information had been given to the police ab the time of v the; loss of the pin. Wm. Cassin, sworn—l am a settler, residing at Onehunga.; I know the accused. I recognise the pin produced; to the best of my knowledge it is mine, I have had the same or a similar pin for eight or nine years. I have no doubt the pin is miney I have a brother named John Cassin. I gave him the pin about two; years ago—that is, I lent it to him. I did not know it was out of his possession till three or four months since. When I saw Chalmers /with it I was. sitting, in tho parlour of the Q,u«en's Hotel, when the prisoner came in with the pin in

bis scarf. I said holloa, you hare gotmj pin. He laughed, and said this cannot be yours, I have had it a great number ol years. Nothing further occurred' at that time. I did not have the pin in my hand to examine it at that time. I saw the prisoner again in the billiard room of the Wharf Hotel, he was then wearing the pin in his scarf. I said I cannot help looking at that pin, it is so like mine. He repeated his former'statement about it. My brother was in Onchuuga at this time. When I saw the pin in accused's scarf-1 did not know it ..was'lost. 1 thought my brother had it. So I did* notvt*ke poisession of it. I never parted r with it to anyone but my brother, The yalueof it isabout 30s.' ' ; ; ; s "■ ! -/ To Mr. podd—When I lent my brother the pin he was at Otahiihu. I made no enquiries about the pin^ till I savr it in the scarf of the accused. -I-hay*? frequently seen accused on the premises of the Wharf ; Hotel, but did not notice, the pin but on the occasion I have mentioned. I was suro it was mine. I recognise the article by its general: appearance;' and the way the pin is put to it. It is possible that I may have had the pin in my hand at the Pacific, but do not, recollect it. I did not claim it, as I thought it possible it was not mine, 1 as I had been told so; I gave infornaation to the police about a month since. I did not do so before,) as I had not made up my mind to dtf iovs I had not seen my brother John about it. To Mr. Bullen—There is a peculiarity about the pin; it was originally a .lady's eardrop i I had a pin put on to it. X John Thomas Cassin, sworn, deposed— lam brother to the last witness. I live,ai Onehunga. I.recognise the pin produced; it was in my possession. I had from my brother William ah.out two years ago. Previous to my brother lend* ing it me, I had it from Mr. Cooksonwho had repaired it. I was living at Onehunga then. I were the pin constantly. Shortly after my brother .lent me the pin. I came to the Thames and took the Queer's Hotel, in March ci'73i Jn that month I went to Mr; Maddens to get my hair cut; I was/wearing the, pin at? the time. When I went in the/sHop, I only saw Madden. I went away jjfter my hair was cut, and missed the pin. _T" went back and asked, Maddan about it. I told him I had lost the pin. Search was made during the time that 1 1 .was gettingmy hkir cut, or: when'l wenlHo4!!!^inquiriesi;.,the accused came into the shop. There 'was nothing said about 'the loss of the pin in the prisoner's hearing. I did not 1 tell my brother thai; I had lost the pin at the time—not till about three months since. I never parted withthe pin to any person. I never had any cpnversatioh with the prisoiier 'respecting the pi»- "'' '""' ' "■-■" ■:":"::.^;:..;.;^;^;^'- ' Cross-examined—l have jbeen in the Wharf Hotel billiard room frequently, but did not notice the accused wearing the pin I lost. ...■:... . . ? ::J K. Madden, sworn, deposed—l am a hairdreiser residing in* Grahamstown. I know the complainant and the accused. I recollect Mr. Cassin coming to my shop. Hehadh^haircu^|bafe]|^annot swear to a shampoo. That was atl|Ke time he said he had lost a pin. The tihop was swept out in Mr. Cassin's presence. The accused was .hot present at' the time I was searching. I did riot tell him of the loss. To the best of my belief the accused was not in my shop during that day ; the Reason I say so is, that the loss of any thing in my shop is so unusualthat I took more particular notice as to who came^ in.,, I have seen the.prisoner wear theipin,>indjt toldfhim^to wear^a decent one. _ I thought he had bought it out. of Eeesing's; He has worn the pin openly for nine months, I have often told'him that it l6oked-«o much 1 likes Brummagem that I would not wear the thing; if I wore a,pin I would wear a decent one. I ofiered* to ■■■•bet' shouts round * that it was not gold.; :i;; ;L..7...U>:'UOM" ;:,-'l. ■ _:'■/■ ... Petectiye3renijan, sworn, deppsed— In consequence of information received I apprehended the accused.. He was-wear-ing the pin] produced. I charged him withjStealing.it.- v Previous {to charging him he said he got the pin from a man named Keid, who -went to Sjdney nineteen months since. It is teventeen months since Cassin lost it._ , r ... t His Worshii(discharged the'acclised} the.pin to be given up; to Mn Court adjourned. ,'■'■'.■'""'" j:'j' v:'*;:'^-."