R.M. COURT.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XI, Issue 3590, 18 August 1890, Page 2

R.M. COURT.

iVASTEKTON- MONDAY. (Uofore Coiouel Roberts, R.M.) LARCENY OF A CHEQUE. William Barton wiib charged with feloniously stealing and carrying nway a cheque valued at Accused pleaded guilty and said he had found th'e cheque. Sergeant Price explained that the chequo. had been diawn by W, Cameron in favor of,E. 0, Smith, and had been lost on the road to the Tnue'ru. On the 15th inst. accused went to the shop of Mr Johnson, bootmaker, and gota pair of boots valued at 15s Gd and tendered the chequo in payment, Mr Johnson accepted the cheque, gave -him what change he had in the house, and told him to call the next morning for "the remainder. In the meantime Johnson communicated with the Bank's officials and found that payment had been stopped. . •*'

In answer to the Court aocused said that he wished to have -the caso tried heforo the B.M.

William Cameron, blacksmith, sworn, deposed that on tho' sth inst he made out a cheque in fayor of E. 0. Smith, Tauevu, and gave it to Mr Chennells, Commission-agent, who addressed it and returned it to him. He then gave it to. Mr Leo, of the Taueru, to convey-.to.Mr Smith, On the following day ho received a com-: munication from the men in Lee's atables that, the note had been lost. He then went to tho Bank of Australasia and stopped payment. Heard nothing" more of the chequo till Saturday last, The chequo was his property, and.was valued at LB. W. B. Chennells, commission agont, deposed that on the sth inst ho received a cheque from Mr Camoroh, Ho wrote a note, put tho cheque with it in an envelope, aud addressed it to Mr Smith in the presence of Mr Cameron, Heard nothing of the case until Saturday last, further than that the letter had gone astray. R Hirschberg, clerk in the Bank of Australasia, deposed that he knew William Cameron, who had an account in the Bank on tho. sth inst, The cheque produced was presented to him at the Bank on Saturday last. Payment had, however, been stopped on August 6th, Tho chequo would have been good between tho sth and 6th August had it boon tendered to tho Bauk.

John Johnson, bootmaker, stated that he remembered Friday last, On the evening of that day accused came to hi 3 shop and purchased a pair of boots, the value of which was 16s 6d. In payment thereof he tendered the cheque produced. Allowed him to hayo the boots, which ho took away. Gave him lis 6d fn change and told him to call at 10,30 on the following morning when he would giro him the remainder. Took the cheque to the Bank on Saturday morning when he was informed that paymont had been stopped. Ho then communicated with the police, Had given cash and goods to the value of 27s to accused, Sergeant Price deposed to Mr Jobuston coming to him with the cheque. Hu went to accused and questioned him as to how he came with the cheque, whon he was info: me J that he (accused) had been working oh a station on the Coast, . Accused would not tell him the name or the owner of the station. Then arrested him, took him to the police station, and charged him with stealing the - cheque, Accused said, " I did not steal it, I picked it up on the. road'to the Taiieru," and afterwards explained that he was in need of a pair of boots on the 15 lit, and tendered the cheque >n payment. On searching prisoner he found that he had not a penny. There was a long list of conviotions againso accused, who was an old vagrant. The Bench said it could not find any .excuse for the appropriation of ihe cheque. It waß not like the finding of a pound note where an owner, could not be discovered, Accused would bo sentenced to one month's imprisonment with hard labor iu Wellington Terrace Gaol.