POLICE COURT, TE AWAMUTU.

Waikato Times, Volume XXIII, Issue 1934, 27 November 1884, Page 2

POLICE COURT, TE AWAMUTU.

Monday. — (Before Messrs J. H. Mandeno and W. Taylor, J.P.) KOKSE STEALING AN' I) BHCAKI.N'G INTO THE POUND. Huiatahi was bi ought up ot remand charged with breaking into the pound at Te Awamutu on Sunday, 13th July, releasing therefrom two horses, a chestnut mare with a white face, and a bay gelding bianded OT on the near shoulder, and damaging the pound gate to tho extent of 3s Gd. Prisoner was also charged with stealing the abovementioned gelding, the property of Charles Innes. Sergeant Gillies prosecuted. Evidence was eiveu to prove the breaking of the pound gate by the accused, and rescuing both the hordes and taking them to Mr Bruces farm at Te Rahu. Chai-les Innes, being sworn, deposed that about the Ist July his hor.se got out of his paddock. He did not see him from that tune till about the beginning of August, when he saw the horse in the possession of of Mr Ogle. He claimed the horse as his, and Mr Ogle delivered it up to witness. He identified the hoise now in the Government paddock as his. He had heard that a horse resembliug his had been impounded, but his informant thought the horse was not his. On that account he did not take trouble to look at the hor&e while in the pound. Mr Ogle told him be had purchased it from a Maori. Alfied Ogle sworn, I knew the accused to be the man who sold the horse to me, about the middle of July. He asked about £3 for it. I only gave £2. I am not sure of the exact date, I know it was about the middle of July. Mr Innes saw the horse with me about the beginning of August, and claimed it as his. I gave him possession of the horse. The horse was a bay geldmg, branded CT on the near shoulder. I recognised the horse in the Government paddock here as the horse sold to me by the prisoner. I told the police of it after giving up the horse to Mr Innes. By the prisoner. Lan quite certain that you are the man who sold me the horse for two pounds. I did not get any leceipt from you. You did not ask for any document. You said you wanted to go to Napier. .Frank Ogle bi other of the last witness sworn, deposed to seeing the prisonei offer the horse for sale to his brother. He had no doubt the prisoner was the man who sold the horse to his brother. Prisoner soid he wanted to go to Napier to see his wife. By the prisoner. I knew you by your face. There is not much difference m yoni appearance since then. Yon did not sign your name to any document. There were no papeis passed between you. By the police. It was my brother who bought the horse. I happened to be present. I had nothing to do with the purchase. Hugh Ramsay, sworn, deposed to pounding the horse with the others on the 9th Jujy, Robert Alexander deposed to the horses being impounded by the last witness on that date, and to seeing them in the pound some time during the 13th. W Frank Mandeno, sworn, deposed that on Sunday, the 13th July, about 7.30 p.m., he and another were walking in the direction of the pound. When drawing near to il they heard someone coming from that direction with two horses. It was the prisonor, who was leading two horses. He stopped on the opposite side of the road from witness. He was about two chains from the pound, One was a ohestnut horse and the other a bay one, the property of Mr Innes. Witness knew Mr Innes s horse for a considerable time before then. Witness and his companion were talking with the prisoner and gave him some matches, and were able to see both the horses and the prisoner by the light °f the matches he uspd to light "His pipe. Dromgool (witness' companion.) accused the prisoner of taking the horses. He appeared to be drunk, but when he wa k s accused of taking them he seemed all right. He went in the direction of Mr Bruce'o with the horses. Saw the same bay h. Qr se in the Government paddocsk this morning. Was quite sure that is Ijhe saiqe horse, and that tne prisoner is the same man He identified him when he saw him in the lock-up on the 20th inst. He told the police of tag occurrence qn ]\Jonda.y, the 14th, July, Sergt. Gillies, Reposed, to. being informed by the poundkeeper, that the pound was broken into and two horses liberated. He examined the gate, and. found it had been taken off (she ftinfifes, and; one of the bars bioken. He n\s.de enquiries a.nd found that tne prisoner had been wording at Mr Robert Bruces, a.nd. that he told Mr Bruce his horse was in the pound, Mr Bruce told him he had given the prisoner a cheque for fifteen shillings to release the horse. He made enquiries and found the prisoner had cashed the cheque at Mr Lewis. He went to the bank and found the cheque which was drawn by Mr Bruce and m,a4? Payable to Huiatahi, He got a description of the man from Mr Bruce. After Mr Innes recovered his horse information was laid by Mr Ogle, who also gave him a description of the prisoner. Had a warrant issued for his arrest. He went to several places to look for him and was told by some natives that he hafj cone jjq >y<fq£u. 4?ap4 $afc sqme natives were coming in from that place on the 20th inst., and went to Kihikihi, where he arrested the man by the description received. He brought him to the lock-up, and got Mr Roche to interpret the charge to him. He .denied, all knowledge of the affair. Prisoner, was convicted, on tjhe 15th December, !j.883, at Cambridge, of stealing a watch value %o J,Qs, qi\Q was fined £13. 10s and costs. The depositions being read over to the prisoner, he was cautioned in tho usual manner, and committed to take his trial at the next sitting of the Supreme Court, for the charge -of norse stealing. For the first offence be was fined £20 or two months mv