RESIDENT MAGISTRATE'S COURT, LAWRENCE.

Tuapeka Times, Volume I, Issue 6, 21 March 1868, Page 2

RESIDENT MAGISTRATE'S COURT, LAWRENCE.

Monday, 16th. (Before Major Croker, R.M.) William Lateward was brought up on remand, charged with having felonously stolen a pair of boots, the property of A. Henderson, on the 13th inst. Arthur Henderson, being sworn, deposed : lam a bootmaker, Lawrence. I was in Dunedin lately. I left the boy Thomas Brunton in charge. I know the prisoner. He was not working for me ; he was building a chimney for Boulton, in the rear of the building. (Boots produced.) I have boots like these in my store. I have seen these before. I recognise them as my property by a mark on the sole. I had four or five pairs like them when I left for Dunedin. The value of the boots is £1 2s. 6d. I was told on my way from Dunedin about the theft. It was lato on Saturday when I arrived home. I saw the boots last evening ; I recognised them at once as mine. I did not sell the prisoner the boots, nor gave instructions to any one else to do so. The boots are altogether too large for him. Joel Boulton, being sworn, deposed : I am a baker in Lawrence. I recollect Tuesday, the 13fch inst. I was in the water-closet, in the rear of the building, i Whilst there I saw the prisoner. He I came out at the back door and looked round about. He then went in and shut the front door, leaving the back door open. He came out again and looked rather suspiciously. I then fwatched him. I saw him put his hand under the safe and take out a pair of boots, and, measuring them with his feet, he put them back under the safe. I then asked him to come round and have a glass of beer. I left him at the bar of the Victoria Hotel. I then went and marked the boots. I then went and told' the boy that he was not looking sharp enough after his master's interest. These are the boots : I know them by the mark 1 made. The mark was made with a pencil on the lining of the right boot. I saw him a short time afterwards leave the premises with some bulky article under his shirt. He was going in the direction of his own tent. Cross-examined by prisoner : I saw you in the shop on that day. I say so positively. Thomas Brunton, sworn, deposed : I am in the employ of Mr. Henderson. He left me in charge of the store when he left for town. I know the prisoner. He was working in the next room behind. He was building a chimney. I did not see him with any boots. I had sole charge. I recollect on Tuesday last my attention was called by Mr. Boulton to a pair of boots that was under the safe in the back room. I saw Mr. Boulton put a mark on them : he marked the right boot on the lining. The boots he marked

I are similar to those (boots produced). I -recognise them as being the same marked by Mr. Boulton. Mr. Boulton told me to have a sharp look out after the store. Cross-examined by prisoner : I did not see you in the store on that day. ' By the Court : I did not sell or give away any boots to the prisoner. A Hugh Hanlon, sworn, deposed : I am a constable. From information I ss4 ceived, I went after, the prisoner. I found him in his tent. I told - him he was charged with stealing a pair of boots from Henderson's shop. I arrested him and took him to gaol. On the way to the gaol he told me that he had purchased a pair of boots from Henderson some ten days ago, and Bold them to a young man in the employ of Mr. Lewis, fishmonger. After locking up' the prisoner, I went back to the tent, and found the boots between the tent and fly. The prisoner made a rambling address in defence. The Magistrate stated that he had no doubt but that he stole the boots, and sentenced him to two months in Lawrence gaol, with hard labor. The young lad Ramsay surrendered to his bail, he having been committed for felonously stealing a horse, the property of Alex. Sutherland. He wa3 first charged with having meat in his possession and for sale, for which he could not account Sergeant Smith, sworn, deposed : Some short time ago, I asked the prisoner where he got the meat from, and was selling on the 31st January. He refused to answer. Mr. Keen urged that so long a time had elapsed since the time that the meat was in his possession and the question, being asked by the Sergeant, that it was scarcely possible for any one to remember. William Spencer, sworn, deposed : I am a miner. I remember the 31st January last. I purchased on that day some beef of prisoner— some 224 1 b. I made a remark that the beef looked very soft. He said that the beast was killed that morning. At this stage the other case, of horse stealing, was gone on with. John Crickmore, sworn, deposed : I am a licensed victualler, residing at Port Chalmers. I recollect Sunday, 2nd February. I recollect seeing the prisoner on the evening of that day. He came to my stables with s* chestnut mare. He put her there for the night. He did not remain in the house himself. I saw him next morning. He came to the stables. He asked me if I could send the mare to Dunedin to Carson's stables. I told him I could. I said that I had a horse in Dunedin, that I could take his "mare to Dunedin and bring my own back. He agreed to that. He said, "I will give you a note to Carson : " he did so. He delivered the mare with the note. When, he delivered the mare he said, " I want the mare delivered at Lawrence as quick as possible." I took the mare and de--livered her to Carson's groom, Shamrock stables, with the letter. I would knoV the mare again if I saw her. ' Cross-examined by Police : No friends of mine made any remarks about the mare in the presence of witness. At this stage the case was adjourned for two hours, for production of mare. Donald Sutherland being sworn, deposed : I am a shepherd on Cumming'a Station. I was in Dunedin some short time ago. I was asked by Carson's groom if I would take a mare to a Mr. M'Farlane in Tokomairiro. I said yes. I got the mare, and whilst on the road I found out that she was my brother's I communicated with my brother, and found that she was his property. I delivered her to him, and not to Mr. M'Farlane. Mr. Keen addressed the bench on behalf of the prisoner. He was acquitted of both charges. Police v. Johnston. This was a charge for having, on the night of the 22nd February, kept his house, Sportsman's Arms, open after ten o'clock, he not having a license so to do. Mr. Johnston stated that he had sent the money for the license to Dunedin on 3rd January last, but as yet got no reply. Case adjourned for one week, to enable him to produce license. Wednesday, March 18. Police v. Tye. — Tye was charged by Corporal Dunn withfeloniouslystealingonesaddle,thepropertyof Donald Campbell, farmer, Waipori Lake. The evidence in this case went to shew that the saddle was found on prisoner's horse being ridden by his son. The saddle was taken possession of by Dunn, and father and son taken into custody. Campbell identified the saddle aa his property. The prisoner endeavored to account for his having the saddle by statingthat he purchased it of a " sailor cove." The statement of the prisoner, however, did not, appear satisfactory to the Bench. H?\ was committed to gaol for two mouths with hard labor.