POLICE COURT, HAMILTON.

Waikato Argus, Volume V, Issue 321, 30 July 1898, Page 4

POLICE COURT, HAMILTON.

Thursday—(Before Capt. McPherson and Mr A. Primrose, Justices). STEALING RINGS. A young man named Frederick Hunt was brought up on remand, charged with having on the 16th July stolen two gold rings, valued at £5. Detective Maddern appeared for the police, and Mr L. O'Neill for the accused. Simon Harker, jeweller, of Hamilton, deposed to having missed a case containing 12 gold rings on the night of the fire. Accused was assisting in the removal of goods, but had not been asked to do so. He recognised the ring produced as one contained in the missiug case. On Friday, the 2'2nd, he told accused he had heard that he had two or three rings belonging to witness, and described one as a 15 carat gold ring with three diamonds and two rubies, and also told him that it had i ticket attached with the price 50s upon it. Accused said the only ring he had was a brass one. Later on, however, he admitted having a ring with three stones in it, and promised to bring it over for witness to look at. During the time accused was in the shop he had ample time to take anything he wished. The three-stone ring produced was worth whole about £2, and the other about £2 10s. By Mr O'Neill : Accused had not his consent to assist in removing tlie things, but witness made no objection. He did not advertise his loss of rings until the day after accused was arrested, though he had previously advertised for clocks, etc. The first intimation accused had from him about the loss of the rings was the conversation on the Friday. When he spoke to accused it was about U o'clock, and witness did not see him again, as in the meantime he was arrested. Kate Hill said that on the night of the fire accused handed her a gold ring; it had two red stones and three glass white ones. There was a ticket attached with the figures 50s on it. Accused said he was going to take it back to Simon Harker. Witness did not remember accused sayiDg he had found it between Howden's and Harker's, and could not swear if the ring produced was the one. Reginald Pike, who was with Miss Hill on the night of the fire, saw accused hand her a ring, but did not hear accused make any remark. Detective Maddern, of Auckland, deposed that in company with actingDetective Kennedy and Const. Cavanagh he met accused on the traffic bridge about a-quarter past 10 a.m. on Friday morning, 22nd. In answer to a question about rings, accused said he only had one old brass one, and this he had given to a Miss Wright, who lived at Ohaupo. Witness said he had heard that accused showed a ring to a young lady on the night of the tire. This accused denied. Acting-Detective Kennedy corroborated the evidence of- the previous witness, and added that he met accused on horseback on the bridge about noon on Friday. Witness told accused he wished to search him as he had reason to believe that he had some of the stolen property. Accused at first demurred, but eventually took the threediamond ring (produced) from his pocket and suid he was going to take it back to Simon Harker. Witness then looked hirn up and charged him with the present offence. This closed the case for the prosecution. Accused expressed a wish to be dealt with summarily, and pleaded "Not guilty." In his evidence, accused said Harker asked him to assist in the removal of the goods on the night of the fire. He picked up the ring (produced) in front of Howden's, and it was the one he showed to Miss Hill. He never told her he wanted to return it to Simon Harker ; the words he used were " the owner." He gave a brass ring to Miss Wright on Thursday last. He was on his way to Harker's with the ring when he was arrested. He picked the ring up ; had not heard, of anyone losing it, and was waiting for it to be advertised. In bis conversation with Harker he did not deny having the ring, but admitted it at once. The Bench considered it was a very clear case and were quite satisfied that accused had acted dishonestly in the matter. Accused was fined £3 with 6s costs, or in default one mouth's hard labour. A month was allowed in which to pay the fine.