R.M. COURT.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XIII, Issue 4143, 21 June 1892, Page 3

R.M. COURT.

M ABTERTON.-T UESDAY, (Before Colonel Roberts, R.M., and Mr J, Gardiner, J.P). CHARGE OF EOB9E STEALING, Alexander Gillies was charged on remand from Timatu with that he did in July, 1890, steal one bay horse, the property of Frederick Budd, from the Wangaehu. Mr Beard, for the accused, pleaded tfnot guilty. ™ Sergeant McArdle conduoted the prosecution, Frederick Budd, laborer, residing at Wangaehu clearing, cjeposed: I remember July, of 1800. At that time I lost a big bay horse, with a white star on forehead and white fetlock. -He was not branded, but had marks upon him by which I could identify him, I had the horse, in my possession from December, 1886. 1 last savr the horse tbis morning, When 1 lost the horse I reported it to .Sergeant Price. I nevgr gave the accused or any other person authority to remove the horse or to dispose of it in any way. I valued the unimul at £ll at the time I lost it.

By Mr Beard! I have bad thß horse in my possession since January last. I lost it in July, 1890. Ido not know the accused, and cannot jay where he was working in 1890. >ihave never seen him till this horning. I recovered the borso in Perry's clearing, from where I had lost it. It had been ridden there by Neils Albertson, who said he got it from John Devonshire,

By Sergeant M'Ardle; When I found the horse in the possesion of Neils Albertson I brought it down to the police. The receipt produced was received by me when I purchased the horse.

John Dotonshire, livery stablekeeper at P&hiatiM, deposed: I know the accused. On July 27ib, 1891, I bought a bay hope from him, On my receipt the horse is supposed to be branded indistinctly "U' on the neck. I received the receipt produced from Alexander Gillies, I hare never been able to find the brand described on the liprje, The horse now in the possession of the police is the ouo I purchased from the accused. I saw Gillies some time after buying the horse from him, and he Baid he purchased it with others from fluru, a Native at Ngawapurua bridge. He said it originally camo from a Native at Ore Ore who hid uince died. He lias since assured me that be came honestly by the horse, saying that he paid Hum's wife for it, He told me j he bad a receipt for its purchase, but I jlid ]iot 8)iow it tp me,' I aftorwarfls i disposed of the horse tp Neils Albertson; By Mr Beard: I have knpwn the accused about eighteen months or two years. 0e was'livipg at Wpodyillß a rart of that time. I am not awprp that the accußed lias bepn a resident pf the Wairarapa, The accused told me when be gold me the horse that he got it from the Natives.. The horso got away from me whilpf 1 had it, and strayed in the direction ofWoodville. The accused told me the horse had been running on the Hanawatu river bedJor about two years. The Wan' gaeba and To Ore Ore districts adjoin each other. I should cay that if a man had stolen a horse from the Wangaehu he would not tell mo it had como frtitii To Ore Ore. Mr Beard adotessed the Court at .jfcme length, contending that the evince was the most flimsy fabrication ever before the Cojjrt, and in {he whole of it' there was'not a suggestion to show that the accused came by the horse by any other means than those he stated. There was absolutely no evidence against the accused. The Court decided to hear the evi» dence for the defence. Mr Beard Baid in that case heßhould apply for a remand, A remand . was then granted till Monday next at 10.30, Bail in the game amounts as before was granted,