R.M. COURT.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XII, Issue 3889, 18 August 1891, Page 2

R.M. COURT.

MASTERTON-TUESDAY.

(Before Messrs W. H. Beetham and Butement, J. F.'b). DRUNKENNESS. William Downes pleaded guilty to being drunk and disorderly in a public place, and was fined 10s and costs, in default twenty-four hours. LARCENY. James Wilson was charged with the larceny on July 31st of a ring, brooch, pocket knife and handkerchief, tne property of Louisa Gardiner. The accused pleaded not guilty. Louisa Gardiner deposed that the accused was in the Empire Hotel, where she was waitress, on the day Bbe missed the articles in question. He asked for a room in which to sleep, and she took him to one. She afterwards saw him coming from her room, and found the whole of the bedroom doors open, which was an unusual thing. When she went to duess in the evening she found the whole of her things strewed about the and missed the articles named. She informed Mr Thompson of what had occurred, and afterwards saw the ring she had lost in Shaw's second-hand shop. She gave nobody permission to take the articles named.

Jameß Sillara deposed that the aoaccused went into the shop of Mr Shaw on July 31st and Bold a ring and a chain. He also offered for sale a horse-shoe brooch, He said he did not care about parting with it as it belonged to the girl. Sergeant Hannan pointed oat that aa the value of the articles was under L 6, the Benoh had jurisdiction. The accused, on oath, stated he went into the Empire Hotel and was asked if he would have a "bob in." He did so and won. He afterwards won 28 6d, but was victimised by spielers. He got a bottle of whisky, and went to Mr McColl's boardinghouse. Next day he was in the Empire Hotel drinking and paid Mr Thompson a shilling for a bed. Ha went upstairs, but turned sick, and mistook his road. He afterwards came down and met a man in the back of the premises, who sold him the articles. To test tbo articles he had them taken to Shaw's. This was the first time he had been charged with stealing. , By Sergeant Hannan : He shared the whiskey he bought with the men in MoColl's boarding house. The man from whom he bought che artioles had been drinking in the hotel. He was a working man, and was about twenty-eight years of age. He (the asoußed) had recently been in the hospital. Prior to that he had been working at Rutherford's ami Msßae's. He was not in the habit of getting drunk when he was in the hospital. He purchased from the man at the rear of the hotel a ring, a brooch, a pocket knife, and a chain. Thomas Thompson, licensee of the Empire Hotel, deposed that the accused had been in his hotel. He did not remember being asked tor a bed on the 30th or 81st July. He had never "thrown" the accused for drinks, although he bad been asked frequently to do so. He did not remember a man similar to the one described by the accused having been in his bar. -^^. Louisa Gardiner, re-called, she saw nobody but the accused go upstairs on the day the artioles were missed. ,*■

The Bench found the accused guilty, and sentenced him to throe months' hard labour in Wellington Terrace Gaol. The accused was afterwards charged with stealing a gold watch chain of the value of £2, and pleaded not guilty. Sergeant Hannan: As the owner of the chain is in Hawke'd Bay, I will have to ask for an adjournment of this case. Theßroch: Very well. The accused: May I ask a question, your Worships 1 Mr Beetham: We have decided the case. The acoußed: Did your Worships not understand when giving your decision that the whole ot the articles stolen were included in the charge ? The Bench: We dealt with the case before us. The accused: This may be law, bat I'll swear it's not justice. The accused snb&equently pleaded guilty to the second charge, and was sentenced to a further term of three months, the sentences to run concurrently.