R.M. COURT.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 6, Issue 1709, 12 June 1884, Page 2

R.M. COURT.

MASTERTON-WEDNESDAY.

(Befure A, W. Bbsail, and W. H, Bgetihm, J.P.'b)

Edward Holt nud Geor«a Mulliuder were charged with stealing on the Bih (lay of June n ferret, the property of Robert Mnguivß. Mr Bunny appeared for ine informant, Mr Kirk, of the firm of Buddy, Stafford, & Oo,_. for the defendantd who pleaded not guilty, ; Mr Bunny applied for the name of Mr Mullinder to he struck out of ithe information.

Mr Kirk regarded Ihe request ns a cool one connideriiis the inconvenieuco his client, a married man, had been subjected to, He would coiiHo.jt to ii oni full costs being allowed to Mullindor.

i Mr Bunny requested that the question of costs aland over until the evidence in the case jf Holt had been taken. The Court discharged Mullindor and left the question of cosh to stand over. Mr Bunny,stated that the evidence he would bring forward- against Holt would he purely circumstantial, . About a fortnight a'jo the informant' called in • the accused to assist him m killing a pig; While there ihe accused handled a ferret in bis possession About a week later the informant offered a sou of the accused five shillings for tbe ferret. Ou Snnday last informant fed and attended to the ferret, On Monday the informant met the- accused who shunned him, The acoiued ■wmt f) Wellington that morning, taking with bim the ferret in. question. Robert Maguire, the informant, said he w*B a carpenter residing at Masterton, and had owned a'white ferret with pink eyes for six weeks. Be saw defendant, who helped him to kill a pig about 14 days ago, and the ferret was in a box, ,-defendant handling it about five or ten minutes. He last eaw defendant on Monday and as he passed him he said, Hello, are you not going to work this morning?!'..and. defendant turned his back on him, Captain Jones was loading htsbrakeattlio time,and tho defendant waslielpinghiro, It was half-past eight on Monday morning, He knew the ferret was gone, and he informed Sergeant McArdle ot the fact, '

>lo- Mr Kirk-Had known defendant annul three months, and defendant knew witness had a ferret which was in a box in-Jits -workshop. It was sometimes out of the box, hut only' whon his children or . himself let it out, His wife sent a note to him by his son when the ferret was Bone. He saw Jones and asked him if defendant had the ferret and pups away with them. :.■ *■■* ■■■■?■■?, ' ■

To Mr Bunny: Last Sunday week Hnlt told tine of'witness's children that he would, eivej.hiui fi Fß 'sl)illin»3 -for the ferret. The.shop where the ferret was, opened wuha.lutoh; He orenoua night, but did/not talk lo him. Ilia hoards of the hox were' about*of en inch apart. ~'■' ; 4

- James Gngcens B :ud he was a railway po.rter at the station, and he saw defend' •m a> ihe station last4louaiiy morning. De eudant w,s pntiin? lug w i n t i l 9 prake. Ho did not notice,what was put in the luggage van;

To M r Kirk-Said he onlv saw boxes and bags put in the-brake. "In answer-to Mr Bunny, •Boner Miigmre said he was the son of the infornit ant, and be saw the'ferret' nn Sundaniuht at 7 o'clock when ho fed it, but hav not seerlit-since. On, Monday mbrniud lesawHoltwhenbewasgoini.toworkfr Mr Jones being there with his brake" Jne Ferret was Ume, und anyone ; could" handle it. ... ■..-.,

To lr Knk-His father had had the erret three or four months.; Several men Had seen n and knew where'it was keut ."lid the fast time he saw it was on Sunday night when he fed it.-

Alex. Ma S uire, a little boy eight years , old, corroborated hia brothers evidence, fi -Jidward Jones stated ho was a earner in M tins town, and his expres3 carried some ' goods to the st.tion on Monday n , M -ning by lustruciions received from a imu, i,, Albert street, but witness would not swartotlieman.

h Mr Bunny: Did you kke any animals I s»w some dogs and pups I . Did you see any others ? , No! There was a bag, I believe, Lad a cat U) it I I have a bad memory, and if 1 am told anything overnight probably forget it hy morning I J

The,bag with the cat in weighed about 12 or 14 lbs ?-(Laughter). Witness: I have a cat that weighs 12 or 14 lbs I

You did not weigh the pups ? : Witness: No. You know what an ordinary pup is, Mr Bunny I ; Marcus Eoerson stud 110 did Uot go to the station on Monday morning, Jamil Ros* staled Jones came into the Uub Hotel bar and said to •MaomW' It seems strange I should have oi?rne across your ferret." •

[Jone3 interfered here and said he had said noiliiuL'of lliesori.J lion (continued): Jooea was not sober, but he ouaht t<» know what he said, and he spoke directly he came into tho hotel. •_ The Court thought there was not evi' oenee enough io comict the defendant, and therefore di-misiw) the case, Mr Kirk appnlied for coats for Mullander, but did not press for cos's for the accused,

The Court awarded Mullander 25s espensess,

. Mr Bunny then applied for a debt Summons for Rapp and Mare against each or the defendauig, which was issued and served upon ihem in C.nrt.