HAMILTON POLICE COURT.

Waikato Times, Volume XIII, Issue 1132, 25 September 1879, Page 2

HAMILTON POLICE COURT.

Wednesday, Septembr 24. j (Before H. W. Northcroft, Esq., R.M.) Edward Wilson wa ( s charged with stealing, or liaving m his possession, a pair of solitaire studs, the property of Frederick Sergeant, on or about 30th March last. Frederick Sergeant deposed that about six months ago he was barman at thc Commercial Hotel, Hamilton, and Mr Mofflin made himi a present of a pair of stoij.es, which he (witness) had spt at LeAvison's, the setting costing him. tAyo guineas, I missed them, and sent a boy to my washerwoman (Mrs Mays), who said that no studs had been sent to the wash mmy shirt. I then saw Mrs Mays m the Commercial Hotel, and asked her if she had seen them m any oi the shirts J. had sent to her, Mrs Mays said she had not seen them m any of my shirts. Cross-examined: I had no suspicion of you, at any time, that you had stolen the studs. Re-examined: Other people could have gone upstairs, without my knoAving it. I conld not see the staircase from the bar, Where I was employed. I was not m the habit of keeping xsy room locked. I did not suspect- any particular person of stealing the studs, at the time I missed them. To the Court: Sometimes Mrs Mays took away my washing, sometimes her little girl. They generally went into the poom, apd took the clothes themselves, I asked. Mp Mays if she had seen the studs mmy plothps,. She said she had not, but if she had, she would have sent them back. Horace Mofflin, sworn, said : I am a livery stable keeper, m Hamilton, and am the informant m this case. I mado a present, some montlis ago, to previous witness, of the pair of studs produced. Fie afterwards told me he had lost them, that he had sent to Mrs Mays, to ask ibout them, fts he thought he had left them m his shirt cuffs, when lje changed :t. I tflld Sargeant, that if J. saw anyone

with them, I would inform the police. I On Friday, I saw prisoner with them on, and laid the information.-Cross-examined : When I saw you with tho studs, I went to the police, and explained to Sergeant McGovem tho loss of the studs, and asked his advice. I told him I could identify them. 1 did not explain to him that I thonght the studs might havo gone to the wash, m the shirt sleeves. I have no suspicion against you, of stealing the studs. I dont know how you came by them. Constable Foroman deposed to the arrest of prisoner. On the afternoon of Friday, I met tho prisoner coming out of tho yard, and asked him if he had a pair of studs. in his sleeves. Be replied, " I have." I asked him to let me see them, and he said, " no, I am damned if I will." I then said, you are charged with stealing them, and I have a warrant for your apprehension. Prisoner then said, "I found them m my shirt. I don't know where they came from." I asked for them, and he said, -he could not get them out of his sleeves, and he asked me to go down to his house with him. I refused to go to the house, and told him, if he didn't 'take them out, I would take them out for him. He then took them out of his sleeves, and handed them to me. I then locked him up. Cross -examined : I don't know that the studs would be difficult tn tako out. To the Court: Prisoner was not m liquor at the time. Prisoner stated that on the 19th inst. he put on a white shirt, and there being no buttons on the shirt sleeves, his wife went up to her mother's, Mrs Mays' and borrowed a pair of studs, and put them m the cuffs herself. 1 then went out to- go to a funeral I meet Mofflin at Pearce's door, ancl affcr talking with him some time, I went tp the funeral. When I returned from the funeral, I was apprehended by Constable Foreman, and taken to the lock-up. lam conducting my own case because I am innocent, and because I cannot aflord to employ a solicitor. Prisoner then called for the defence: Mary Ann Mays : I was washing for Mr Sergeant all the time he was m Harailfcon. There was a tub full of shirts m the wash, and m one of the shirts Was a pair of studs, Avhioh I took out and dried. I put them aside m a little box m mv house, amongst a lot of others. Mr Sergeant never asked mo, or my ehildicn, about the studs. My daughter came np on the 19th, and asked me for the pair of studs (studs produced), and I lent them to her. Cross examined : I never lent them before to any one. To the Court : . I have several studs that have come m linen to the wash, the owners of which I do hot know. I should be glad if some one would own them. I know they must belong to some of my customers. I did not know that by keeping the studs I was guilty of theft. (Ihe Court severely reprimanded the witness for her conduct m not enquiring among her customers who -the lost studs belonged to,- explaining that she was as guilty of theft as going to Sergeant's room and taking his studs.) The Court declined to hear further evidence, but m dismissing the case, cautioned prisoner that he had not used efficient caution.