RESIDENT MAGISTRATE'S COURT

Thames Star, Volume XII, Issue 3836, 14 April 1881, Page 2

RESIDENT MAGISTRATE'S COURT

THIS DAY. (Before H. Eenrick, Esq., R.M.)

LARCENY,

Wm. Thompson, alias Baldwin, and Wm. Crossley, alias Clifford, were charged with stealing from the Pacific Hotel, on December last, 121bs tea, a case of gin, and three dozen of cut glass tumblers.

The accused pleaded not guilty. Charles Curtis (examined by Detective 'TTarrell), deposed he remembered the 4th of December last, and on that day saw the prisoners at his hotel.- Baldwin had had breakfast. In the front bar were cases of gin, porter, andb'eer. Crossley remained ia the bar while Baldwin had breakfast. The prisoners told witness they were members of a theatrical company which was about to play on the Thames. On the following day the case of gin and the tumblers were first missed. The gin was worth 345, the tumblers about 15s a dozen, and the tea about 2s 3d per pound. The case produced was hia property, and that taken away from his hotel. Had not given anyone authority to take goods from the hotel. The property taken waa worth about £3 10s.

By Crossley—-I first saw you on the 4th and missed the tumblers on the following day.

By Thompson—You were in the bar continually from morning till about B o'clock. , The goods must have been taken away after 2.30 o'clock.

Charles Martin deposed—He was resident in the Queen's Hotel in Decembn last, and on the morning of the 4th of that month, the prisoner Baldwin came into the bar, and offered some tumblers for sale. Prisoner wanted 3d each for the tumblers, and witness afterwards bought the articles at that price. The other prisoner was not in the bar at the time. The sale was made about half past seven o'clock in the morning. Had first asked his aunt, Mrs Vaughan if he was to buy the glasses, and was told to .take one dozen.

Sarah jane Vaughan deposed she was the wife of Matthew Vaughan of the Queen's Hotel. She knew the prisoners and had seen them in the hotel between 10 and 11 o'clock on the morning of the 4th of December last. The prisoner, Baldwin, offered witness a box of tea, he" j said there were 251bs, and he would sellij it at Is 6d per pound. Witness bought: the tea which was weighed by prisoner. i$ the kitchen of the hotel,'vrhen it was. found, there were only ten-ppunds/Paid 11s for tea and three drinks. The price was reduced to Is 3d per pound on condition of taking the whole quantity. Witness at first intended taking only .two pounds. The other prisoner came into the bar as the money was paid for the tea, and had a drink. Prisoners them represented that they were going to Te Aroha and had some spirits with,.them, and as they had -changed their minds, they now wished to sell the goods. Baldwin afterwards bought a case of old Tom to witness; Mi& ca? e was °Penecl and a bottle taken out, which was handed round for other persons in the bar at the time to taste. The 'bottles "were covered with straw caps, and in the case there were eight bottles, for which witness paid 14s. Both prisoners had drinks at the bar after being paid for the Old Tom. Baldwin then asked witness if she would buy some whiskey, and he subsequently brought a whiskey case, but upon it being opened there was nothing but empty bottles in it. Crossley then remarked to Baldwin,>" You took the case from the the wrong side; that was the case we.l opened on" board the boat last night." Crossley further said, " Go back and take a case from the right hand side. By Crossley—You were present when the money was paid to Baldwin. You made a remark that Ihe gin should be sold for 2s 4d instead of 2s 9d>: which was the price just asked. It was; not whe^ the empty case-was opened thai you were*.

present, but at the time the Old Tom was being sold. Matthew Vaughan deposed to seeing Cros^ey in his hotel on the 4th December, when he remarked that his man had gone for a case of whiskey for Mrs Taughan. He also said he had a large stock of spirits in hand, which he intended to take to Te Aroha.

Charles Curtis, recalled, said on the day in question he had one case with empty bottles in, and 18 cases with full bottles of whiskey in them in his bar. There was no apparent difference between the cases, for the bottles when empty were replaced in the case and the (.over nailed down. The weight alone would, however, telfcthe empty cases from the full ones. Detective Farrell deposed to being informed by Mr Curtis that he had lost some goods, and from information he had received, found the articles at Vaughan's hotel.

The prisoner Crossley then made a long address to the Bench, aud commented very cleverly upon the evidence of several of the witnesses. He attempted to show that he had had no connection with the robbery. ' His Worship remarked that the cleverness shown by Crossley led to the impression that he was no new hand at such matters He would give the full penalty the law allowed, namely, six months with hard labour in Mount Eden gaol,