SUPREME COURT.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XII, Issue 3826, 3 June 1891, Page 3

SUPREME COURT.

Criminal Sessions

(United Press Association.)

Chbbtohvjrch, June 1.

The Supreme Court Criminal -r - Sessions opened this morning before - His Justice Denniston. Athole Stewart Lamb, pleaded guilty to four charges of foigery,and sentence \ was deferred; Thomas Gorman, indicted for unlawfully wounding, was _" found guilty, with a recommendation to mercy, on account of the absence of premeditation. His Honor said, * . looking at all the circumstances, he would inflict the comparatively light sentence of twelve months herd, labor.

The Grand Jury threw out the Bill against Alexander Lennie, for larceny, on account of the absence of the r- prosecutor. Samuel Northy pleaded „'- guilty to a charge of forgery and £- _, uttering, and he was sentenced to two "c years' hard labor. % Lateb.

el' The Criminal Sittings closed at four % o'clock. William Marshall McDowel, -J who pleaded guilty to' Stealing £3O V from the Bl»ck Horse Hotel, was I sentenced to six months' hard labor. Thomas Harrington Conway was -found guilty of stealing a watch and ;> chain at Addington. There were two 7 previous convictions against him, and he received a sentence of two years hard labour. Jjuvas the last case on the list. iSR? convicted early in the day for forgery, was placed on probation for twelve months. DuNEDcr, June 1.

Mr Justice Williams' charge dealt with thetSendai, which is unusually light. George Clark pleaded guilty to embezzling the funds of the Prince ♦ of Wales Lodge, 1.0.0.F, M.U, at Port Chalmers. His counsel urged in extenuation that the absence of proper cheques furnished a temptation to crime. He was sentenced to three years' penal servitude. Walter Spurlingß was sentenced to twelve months hard labor for false pretences, and Christopher Conway to six weeks imprisonment for breaking the terms of his probation. James arney and Bhoderick Mackenzie received two

. years for assault and robbery ; Jamos \i Eiddle 18 montbs lor burglary. The '3 prisoners mentioned all pleaded guilty.

Later. In a presentment the foreman of the said there waß a |: growing feeling among grand jurors - that such a body was no ÜBe. Mr Justice Williams, while admitting

that a good deal might be said in favor o£ that view, reminded them I ' that the institution had stood the ' test of over a hundred years' experii ence in the United States, and while ! many reforms obtained that were j progressive, this institution remained J" untouched, wherefore it must retain i some inherent merit. Wm Nichols ' received 13 months for assault and robbery. Edward Martin was feund not guilty of attempted robbery. ■, ' June 2.

- At the Supreme Court to-day Geo. Y 'I Bennett, charged with librae stealing, | was acquitted. Only one case now remains on the list.

Auckland, June 1. At the Criminal Sittings of th e Supreme Court this morning, in his charge to the Grand J«iry, Mr Justice Connolly remarked on the small number of indictments, and pointed out that there were two serious charges—one of murder and i one of embezzlement. The latter was' r specially serious, as being against a; puqlic official; O'Halloran, who had « been postmaster and receiver of * property, tax, Whangarei. The [k Grand Jury found true bills against \ John Henry Taylor, larceny, and on his pleading guilty he was sentenced -■"*■_ to 12 months; also against Gustav -Petersen, *ho pleaded guilty to burglary and got 12 months. June 2. The late postmaster at Whangarei (O'Halloran), charged with embezzieB ment.has pleaded guilty to five charges B and will W biougbfc before the V , Supreme Court to-morrow for W • sentence.

TAB Dwamyism Cass.

WELLmsTos, Wednesday. Mr Chapman this morning applied for a special jury in the dummyism case. The Judge asked what pre[cedent there was, and Mr Chapman "' mentioned the case of of stealing amalgam on HU Coast last year, and of -n. asylum warder, charged 1 bezzlement. The Chief there were special 1 both those oases. Mr Gully saying it lookM as though eased was anxious to have - of a jury drawn exclusively cl&bs to which considerable dergast said he would cision at 3 p.m. . The |only other case was that of Arthur -' 3)unn. The prisoner is ~ serving six months for money by telegraphing name, and he was now \ . forging a receipt which I - to get the money, lie put \ plea to the effect that fcl • were one and the same. K - was directed to consider w h^^^^H ■ - plea was good, but misunde^^^^^H ■ direction and returned a ve^^^l ■ not guilty. They were 3g bat in the interval the Chief 1% decided on reconsideration %£ was no necessity to leave it to U| The foreman on being recalled f|g feeling of the Jury was H| offence was practically the HH the prisoner ought not to be ill twice over for it. Wkp Crown !■■ Sp enter, though dieting Wi view, rewgnisedyip likelinooa« gaining a verdict,- and offeresfl The prisoner was <M i:^- : charged. )|