ALLEGED HORSE-STEALING

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XVI, Issue 5154, 12 October 1895, Page 3

ALLEGED HORSE-STEALING

A SOLDIER'S STATEMENT IN DEFENCE. "THAT CURSED DRINK!" At tho conclusion of tho caso for .*■' the prosceution against Tlios. NorMjjisli alias llriggs, alias Smith, alius v\ r ilson, alias lloid,otc., charged with stealing a black inare belonging to Mr A. Burnett, tho accused made tho following lengthy statement in slow, impressive tones. Tho Court was crowded, and nt times, although Nordish was intensely serious, his manner was at times altogether too much for those present. Tho statement is as follows:-"I may tell Your Worship that I have been a soldier in the Imperial Army. 1 served in tho Dragoons and 21st Royal Scotch Fusiliers with honor; also in tho Cape Infantry, South Africa; also in t-lio Mounted Police Forco, Kimberlev Diamond-fields, South Africa. 1 have fought in three '•> campaigns in South Africa. I have for my conutry, and been wounded several times, and until 1 left my wife and came to New Zealand, bore ail excellent character throughout my life. I come of Very respectable parents and have been brought up religiously, but I am sorry to say I have given way to jJiink since I camo to New Zealand. tinder the inllnonco of drink in divers places I have committed several indiscretions for which 1 have some times been punished—l am afraid only too leniently. 1 have been onco

IX THE U'SATIC ASYI.ni through drink; of which fact the Sorgeant perhaps is cognisant. 1 have (Inns mauy foolish tilings in drink, but I think this is the most serious of nil. Still, 1 firmly believe if tried by His Worship or by Judge mid Jury I shall be acquitted, us between me'mid my God lam intiocent of the fhoft of the inure. lam charged with tho theft of this mare, but 1 will state to you now, on oath, how I enme to be in possession of bur, and the whole facts of the case from first to hist. 1 have been working for some time past for Messrs Allen and Walter Cameron, on their station at To Oro Ore. t received in payment for my work the skins from 300 traps which I reguhirly sold to Messrs Caselbe.-g. This paid for my food and a fow shillings besides, was an intermission between Mwio trapping when I worked in the harvost field draining and digging foi which I received daily wages. I am sorry to say about a fortnight ago, I commenced to go on tho spree s having sold a quantity of my skins. On Wednesday-night-week I mot Walter, Fred Matthews and bis " missus" outside tho Umpire Hotel. Tliey wore on their way to Akura. I was asked to jccouipany them which I did. Wo took some drink , with us which wns drunk and then I was asked as a favour to lake a note to Mr Redmond of tho Queen's Hotel, for three bottles of whisky—which I did. It was fully eleven o'clock when I arrived at the Queen's Hotel from Akura. It bad turned eleven o'clock—l am positive of this 4 because I looked at tiie clock. On going into the Hotel, the house was closed hut I obtained entrance at tho sido door by knocking. I presented tho note to Mr Redmond and be said lio could not let mo have the liquor, he did not state, nor did 1 ask I stayed in the Hotel about j fifteen minutes

CttJUTIKO TO A BARMAID and two other young men who were talking to her, aud then I asked for the door to bo opened, and went out, I came up the main street a little way, and then turned off on the road for Akura. I saw the said mare of Mr Burnett's saddled, with 1 the bridle trailing on the ground, quiotly cropping at the grass by the road-side. I had been drinking very heavily, and was in rather a bad state, otherwise 1 sbould have brought the mare into town and handed it ovor to the police, but being under the influence of—or rather i suffering from—drink, and thinking the maro had broken loose fiom somewhere, or that perhaps a drunken man had fallen oif it, (Laughter, and cries of " Sileneo,") I mounted the mare and rode it to Akuia. I left her in Ffed Matthews' Btable that night, and next morning turned her into the Natives' paddock. 4: v Next day, I was engaged to work for Mr Karaitiana, through the recomof hie eon Kichard, who kuW me well, as all the Maoris do, for I have been staying at To Oro Ora since last Now Year. I left the horse in the paddock until Sunday morniug, when having to go to Te Ore Ore, for my blankets and clothe#, b 1 thought I would rido the maro there and perchance meet someone who knew the mare. I rode partly through the town and straight out to Te Ore Ore. On arriving thero, I unsaddled the maro and placed her in the small paddock belonging to Tamahau—or as I have always known him, "Charlie Koother." I placed a padlook on the paddock and "'went to Bernini Tiuitam's house. I ' was invited to havo a cup of tea, which I accopted, and was SMOIISO A CIOABEITB

when Mr fillers and Mr Burnett camo in and shook hands all round. Oii shaking hands with nte, Mr Ellers remarked," Where did you get that . maro you have been riding." I told him (not knowing who lie was) that I had bought it from a young follow from Palmerston who lmd been to sea dtfch me. Ho then said, "Youhavo ijßf heard to say your brother-in-law boughtitforyou." Hecontinued, " This is tho owner of the horse, Mr Burnett." As soon as ho told mo that, I said," Well, I will tell you tho , truth all about it," and then retailed £to them the facts a 6 I have givon them to you now. Mr Burnett then said: " You have put me to a great deal of inconvenience and loss of time, You had better come with me and Mr Ellers to Mastertou, to Mr Redmond's" I saddled the maro and rode to town with them. On tho way, 1 told Mr Ellers that I had been drinking very heavily, and had made these foolish statements to t tho Maoris, about the mare, not knowing what I was talking about. Mr Burnett remarked that ho was glad the mare had been taken good care of, ns lie expected to havo found her knocked up, and that if I pxplainedit to Mr Rodmond, he (Mr Burnett) was quite satisfied to let it go no farther. We took the back K through tho town, I think on Dse to avoio the rouce ! : ' seeing us, as I told Mr Burnett I should be sorry to got into trouble ■ over it, as I' was so well respected in TeOreOre. (Laughter in Court). 1 We arrived at the Queen's Hotel; explained tho matter to Mr Red- ' mond, and he said that he ivas perfectly satisfied if Mr Burnett was, Mr Burnett told me that Mr Ellers

had gone to a doal of trooiblo ;unl expense in hunting' up tho marc for him. I said I would only be too tlmukful, after liis great kindness, to defray all expenses, which I was well able to do as I am a working man. Ho said "No, he would 1 recupomto' Mr fillers," which ho did in the pvesenco of Mr fillers luid myself; and then asked mo to "have a glass of beer with him, anil thoro would ho no more about it." I did so, and hud two; shook hands with him and Mr fillers, bade thorn "good afternoon," and walked straight back to Te Ore Ore. I had forgotten all about the occurrence -not exactly forgotten it, and nover shall! until Wednesday about mid-day, when i was in tho Club Hold, having a "■lass of beer and lemonade, when the Sergeant camo in, and told mo he wished to speak to me. 1 was going to obey him on the instant (as obedience is the lir.4 duty of a soldier), but the Sergeant- said |" Finish your beer," which I did, wondering when 1 should get the next (More merriment in Court, sternly repressed), fot I felt that something PtrßlME.Yl'if. TO MY WSI.FAUt

was about to happen. 1 followed the Sergeant outside; ho spoke very kindly to me, and said that ho was under the painful necessity of bringing against inc a serious charge, viz., the larceny of a mare from the Queen's Hotel. I was surprised-(as who would not bo) but accompanied the Sergeant to the lock-up, where I have been treated very well ever since. But I think that had Mr Redmond informed the Sergeant of the nrraugemeut como to between us, he would not have brought this chargi against rue, 'Tis not his fault, but 'lis very hard upon me! 1 have been now incarcerated (the Work didn't quite catch it,soNordish repeated the word "incarcerated ") since Wednesday mid-day, and through that, have probably lost two months' good work, as 1 intended to have gone shearing on Thursday. [ am very sorry, indeed, it has happened, both for myself and all concerned. My only excuse is the cursed drink, which has ruined thu latter six years of my life. It has caused mo to leave my wife and child in South Africa; and should my dear mother in Loudon came to know of this, it would break her heart! 1 have several times been in trouble through drink, and haveoften prayed to God to keep mo from it. I havo been in tho lunatic asylum once, through

THE CURSE OF DRIKK, and 1 sincerely bopo that His Worship will deal with my case and not put' me back for three dreary months. If be thinks me guilty, I hope ho will punish me with the utmost rigor of the law, but if he can deal with my case, and sees a doubt its to my guilt, I ask him in tho name of God, to give mo tho benefit of it I I havo written Home to my dear mother in London, telling her I will try and be home by the Now Year, but if this case goes against mo it will ouly mean another disappointment and it few more grey hairs added lo her bead! I have no more to say; i throw mysolf on tho mercy of the Court, hoping His Worship will deal with my case and temper' Mercy with Justice.' That is all!" Tho Bench : 11 Accused is committed for trial."

Accused: "Can't you deal with mo Your Worship ?" The Bench : "It is out of my power." Accused : " Oh. Wheu does tho next High Court sit Your Worship f" The Bench: ''ln about three weeks." Accused: "Oh,- I feared it was not till Christmas." His Worship intimated that bail would be allowed, accused in £SO and two sureties of £25 ouch, to the satisfaction of the police.