RESIDENT MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

Westport Times, Volume II, Issue 230, 27 April 1868, Page 2

RESIDENT MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

Satubday, Apeil 25. (Before J. Giles, Esq., R.M.) DBUNK. Three drunkards, including one woman, paid the usual penalty of excess. UNFOUNDED CRABGE OF LARCENY.

Bolert Temperley was charged with having stolen a gold chain and coin from James Suisted, on the preceding night. The circumstances of this case were as follows : —The prosecutor and some others, as he admitted, Were slightly the worse for liquor, and had been at the Assembly Rooms and met the prisoner outside. The latter is carrying on the oyster trade, and had a basketful of these molluscs with him at the time. Some " larking " took place in reference to them, after which the whole party, prisoner included, walked down the street together. On reaching near the Q.C.E. Hotel Suisted observed that he had lost his chain, and without further ceremony accused Temperly of haviug taken it. He denied having done so, but prosecutor would not be satis fled, and eventually gave prisoner into custody, and he was taken to the lockup. When there Suisted refused to sign the charge-sheet, but the prisoner was locked-up notwithstanding. The police subsequently searched near the Assembly Rooms where the scuffle had been and found the missing chain, the prisoner having been given into custody near the Q. C. E. The magistrate said that all the evidence given only went to exculpate the prisoner. People should be careful in giving others into custody without occasion. There was no case whatever, and the prisoner was discharged. There were three civil cases, in neither of which either plaintiffs or defendants appeared.