R.M. COURT.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 5, Issue 1426, 10 July 1883, Page 2

R.M. COURT.

:}; - (Before Messrs Bish'andjßjnall, William Harris and Frederick Lynass were charged with breaking into a dwelling, and stealing blankets therefrom, on the Bth inst. '*:'. ' ; The Sergeant of Police stated that the accused had made voluntary statements which he was prepared to' lay before the Court. The Court having perused them proceeded to take evi-

dence, r ' ': Frank Johansen said he was a laborer residing at Te Ore Ore, in the employ of Mr Robert Donald. On Sunday last he was at home in the forenoon. About 2 p.m.' ho left the house, fastening the door with a padlock. He returned home at five, and found the look on the floor, and the staple broken. Left the axe when he went away in the porch, Subsequently he noticed the back of it dented, Going into the bedroom he found that three blankets wore missing. He then asked Mr Percy to go with him to see two men who went.up tho tram line. He found them in a whare on Dr Hosking'a land. They were lying in their beds, which were covered with white blankets. Ho recognised the blaukots, and went away again to get more help to enable him to recover them, When he came back the, men and the blankets had disappeared.. He recognised William Harris as one of the men who were lying in the whare. He identified the blankets produced in Court by their general appearauce, two of the blankets belonged to Mr Byford. Lynass did not speak to him in tho whare, he .called Harris up to answer his question,

To William Harris: I cannot swear that blanket produced is mine as it has no private mark on it. I can swear that one of the blankets was on you wben I went into the whare. You once came to borrow a gun. I did not see you about the cottago on Sunday last. I saw two men passing up: the tramway ono of whom carried a bag, but I was not near enough to recogyou.

To Lynass: I never saw you before.

The evidence of the informant was corroborated by Mr W. Byford and tho arresting constable,. Frederick ! Lynas3 stated that on Sunday last he went with Harris to split posts beyond the sawmills, On the road up Harris left him fov a short time, and returned with a bag containing some blankets. They took them up to tho whare. After Johausen visited them Harris packed thorn up in the bag again and took them away.

William Harris stated that Lynass, when they went to the whare, stopped at Johansen's cottago and commenced to break the staple off tho door. .He left Lynass, and presently his mate re-joined him with the bag. After Johansen visited the whare Lynass put the blankets into a bag and carried them into the busb.

The Court adjourned its decision till half-past three this afternoon,