RESIDENT MAGISTRATE'S COURT

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume VII, Issue 1940, 16 March 1885, Page 2

RESIDENT MAGISTRATE'S COURT

WELLINGTON.—SATURDAY, (Bofore H, S, Waiidell, R.M.) AILEQED EMBEZZLEMENT John Dooley was brought up on a charge of embezzling several sums of money, viz., £2 18s 6a, £2lss, and £3 12s 4d, the property of her Majesty the Queen, at Greytown,- at various dates between the 13th and 18th of February, 1885. Mr Izard appeared to prosecute. The prisoner was defended by Mr Shaw. It appeared that prisoner was employed as Stationmaster at Gyeytown, where it . • '• t/; t ll H

was his duty to receive money for passenger anil freight/ fares, &c, and to account for the same :to the Railway Department, which.in the, present cases and others it - >vaa alleged .was not dono. Samuel Keedwell, manager for Caselbergand Co., merchants, of Greytowndeposcd that during the month of : FebruaryM hc;had paid several sums of money "ta prisoner on account'of Caselberg and Co, for freight of goods, for which prisoner gave receipts (produced),. On the 28th Febauary.he paid him a sum of £3l2s 4d in cash. , Edward Octavius Tumor, clerk in the I Bank of New Zealand, Featherston branch, deposed that it.waa tho custom for the stationinaster at Greytown to send money daily to the Bank at Featherston." On the 2nd ; of March'no money was re-' ceived from the sfcationmaster, No buiu of £34 7s 7d had been paid in by the prisoner since the 2nd of March. Crossexamined by Mr Shaw: The bag in which the monoy is forwarded daily is not locked. Tho prisoner was suspended on the 6th March, Between the 2nd and 7th March the prisoner had paid in several sums of money.

Chandos Leigh Hunt, acting stationmaster at Greytown, said ho had been employed at Greytown station as Clerk since last July. He had been acting sfcationmaster since prisoner was suspended on the Gth insfc. The usual books were kept in the office, witness keeping the cash-book and prisoner tho ledger. A rough cash-book was kept by prisoner, from which witness entered up the general cash-book

At this stage Mr Izard applied for a remand until tho 17th instant, which was granted.

A further charge of embezzling three sums of money , viz., £3 5s 9d, £l'9s 3d, and;£s, under similar- circumstances,, on the 28th January, 2Cth FoTjruaVy, and 2nd March respectively was then' gfoie into.

. Henry Wood, Secretary, of the Greytown Butter and Cheese Factory Company (Limited) deposed to having paid tlio prisoner various sums of money in the ordinary course of businepfi- On the 2nd of Marcl) lie paid him two cheques £llßs 4d and £o—the latter cheque being for payment in advance of future freights. William James Naylor, a clerk in the Bank of Ne»v Zealand, Greytown, gave evidence of the cashing of the cheque for £5 for the prisoner on the 2nd March, At this Btage the further hearing was adjourned until Tuesday next.—Evening Press.

SPIRITUALISTIC SEANCES IN MASjTERTON. On Saturday evei)ii|g some twenty-five persons met in .the lodge room, Empire Hotel, Masterton, for tl|e purpose of hearing' how those who had "gone before" wero getting on iu the "Summer Land." Soon after eight o'clock Mr Ellis, the psychoiueti'ist, entered the roon] accompanied by Mrs Lena Cook and Mr Gerald Massey. Ife brjefiy introduced them to the company assembled which was of a very mixed character, consisting of representatives of all shades of roligioh and irroligion inoludinp Jews, Turks, and infidels, Mrs Lena Cook, tho medium, took a seat at the south end of tho room with Mr Massey on her right, inviting tho company to draw their chaii's up and sit arouud in a circle, Tho lights were regulatod so as not to bo too glaring, and by request a musician present manipulated on the harmonium. While listening to the swoot strains of "Sweet spirit hear my prayer," the medium took a survoy of tho company present, and expressed regret that no mora ladies were there, as the sympathetic influence of her own sex would bo very strengthening to her throughout tho seance, A youthful neophite was invited to assist in this dilemma, but he evidently was afraid of missing something good as he declined to go in search of some of his numerons lady ; acquaintances to swell the circle, or else he was afraid if they did come they might hear ii)pre than was good for him that they should knoff. However, with only two ladies present the business begw as the music had ceased. Mr Gerald Massey explained the theory set forth, by the medium, According to this a controlling spirit was alongside the medium and presented to her sight as it were, pictures of those departed ones who were desirous of communioating with their friendß present, The medium saw these pictures not with an ordinary sight but with an inner or second sight with the eyes either open or shut and spirit voices could bo heard by her, she being clairaudient and well as clairvoyant, With this brief explanation thomediumprocoededto business by first passing her finger lightly across her brow as if to clear away all outside influences. "I see the figure of a little girl about so high, with bright long hair and a sweet pretty face, It Beems to hover near you two gentleman. Can you place it either of you was tho first announcement, Thore being no response tho medinm continued " I hear a sound like 1 J' or 'G'. . I can't quite catch it distinctly. Do you know a little girl in the spirit land as lane or Geraldine or something like that." This apparently fetched somebody whoresponded in theafllrmative. The medium then gave additional particulars and, from replies obtained, built up a structure that convinced the person immediately concerned perhaps, out did nojt satisfactory assure the 'other'' listeners who looked from one to another with an 'lsthat all' expression, The medium then found a spirit connected with- the lady sitting next to her, and a word of good cheer from her dear departed, who is glad to know that she is happy, is given her, and after stating the manner in which the spirit " shuffled off this .mortal, coil" the medium ttansferred her Muenoe to another quarter. '' I hear a • voice. that says William or W, can ynu place it or you," One in the violnity prloks up his ears at the name,, and immediately the medium points to a figure alongside his ohair. "My brother's namo was William," he says, then the medium follows up by building a figure to -meet the case, and if something turns-up in diametrical opposition to the character required, it is immediately transferred to somo other claimant, There was ono especial oase of interest in which the deceased father of a gentleman present was described. " I hear the word Judge," says the medium. Thon a figure is described as a gentleman iu uniform, with a sword, a medal on the left breast, a " corner" hat with a large white plume, "and," says the medium, "I hear the word Consular,or something like that." "Yes," replied tho interestul listener, "that is a very fair description of my. father, who was a Judge in India, and in the East India Company's' service ;ho wore a uniform such as has been described. Heps Consular Judge." This remarkable coincidence astonished all present, and evidently cheered tlie medium, who had a string of hard matter-of-fact faces around her, which were somewhat repellant to her influenoe, Some other not very interesting spirits sent a word or two to their friends present, and the medium who had had a very fatiguing two hours work, retired amidst the thanks of the visitors, The circle being broken, enquiries are made, What do you think of It ?" is an all-round question. After the seance Mr Ellis took the hand of one gentleman present, and bo minutely described his disposition, habits, complaints, and ailments, as. tp perfectly astonish those present with its accuracy. Even a scar on the knee of the subject did not escape the eye of the clairvoyant.