A ROGUE AND VAGABOND GETS HIS DESERTS.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XV, Issue 4688, 6 April 1894, Page 2

A ROGUE AND VAGABOND GETS HIS DESERTS.

George Titmus, alias Titmarch alias Moonlight was sentenced to six months hard labour by Mr T, Hutchison, S.M., at the Masterton Court this morning for using obscene language in a public place on Thursday.

Evidence showed that the prisoner used disgusting and obscene language in the Empire Hotel, insulted a lady who was staying at the hotel, and shocked the barmaid who served him with liquor. The accused made a long rambling defence. First he denied the charge and then asked the Magistrate to look over the offence, if this were done he promised not to touch another drop of liquor for twelve months. Much of his statement was an advertisement of quack medicines of which he is the vendor. A long list of previous charges and convictions were read out by the Magistrate, but the greater part of them were denied by the accused. At Featherston he was convicted of obsence language, but this he attributed to the prejudice and perjury of Constable Smith. At one place he had suffered six months imprisonment for saving a family from diphtheria. At Ashburton he was found guilty of being an incorrigible rogue and vagabond, at Christchurch of larceny, at Woodville of obscene language, at Palmerston North of vagrancy, at Patea of a breach of the peace, and in Wellington gaol had done six months. Accused said he had a lot of work to do in the Wairarapa in curing people and stock with his famous ointments. The Carterton paper had described him as "a great philanthropist ." This word he had looked out in the dictionary, and had found that it accurately described him— a man who was always doing good to other people — but unfortunately owing to drink he had come to grief. " Give me a chance", he continued and " I not touch another drop for twelve months-at least," His Worship, in giving sentence, said he had listened very carefully to the statements of the accused, but the charge had been fully proved, and his previous record was very bad. Sentenced to six months with hard labour.