ACCIDENTS AND OFFENCES. [From June 4 to Juiy 6 ]

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXVI, Issue 4016, 6 July 1870, Page 7

ACCIDENTS AND OFFENCES. [From June 4 to Juiy 6 ]

The sittings of the Supreme Court in its criminal jurisdiction commenced on June 8, before Chief Justice Sir G. A. Arney. The first day, William Lane Gearrans pleaded guilty to charges of arson and embezzlement. Sentence was deferred. Frederick Cox, who pleaded guilty to stealing £18 was sentenced to mx months' imprisonment. A charge of embezzlement against G. H. W. Shepperson was dismissed and George Card well alias Hodgson was sentenced to two years' imprisonment for bestiality. On June 9 a man named James Walter Arnold was arraigned for an extensive robbery k<m, tufte Kenuy in Apiil last, and. a(ter. hxaifcUy evidence was adduced;, the" mvv $St»»~ ' ' verdict tf j^o.t guilty. '£ g, €&**- ' a guilty <(O having pub)^- pleaded Ocojge.MsOHllo*** 1 ' _ued a libel against *Acl was '•* .* xiced. tendered jm apology, *" ' ~-L»und over in his own recognizances .u. ±.100 to appear for judgment when called on. On June 10 VV. L. Geairans was brought up for sentence ; and, having been severely admonished by his Honor, sentences amounting to three years' imprisonment with hard labour were inflicted for four serious offences with which he stood charged, viz., arson, horde-stealing, stealing in ci dwelling, and simple larceny. James Foster, Thomas Steens, and Daniel -utherland were arraigned on a charge of breaking and entering the warehouse of Mr. John Wormal], ofGrahamatown, and stealing various articles of clothing to the value of between £250 and £300. Ihey pleaded not guilty, and wore defended by Mr. Beveridge. A very large amount of evidence was taken, and the case was adjourned until June 11. The jury were locked up during the night. On Saturday, June 11, the prisoners Jas. Foster and Daniel Sutherland were found guilty. Sutherland and Foster were each sentenced to four years' peual servitude. Against Thomas Steens a verdict of Not guilty was returned, and he was discharged. The foreman of the jury thanked his Honor for the attention which had been shown to them during the night, when they were locked up, which was acknowledged by his Honor. On June 13, Alfred Boonstra, for having stolen a quantity of jewellery, was found giiilty, and sentenced to twelve months' imprisonment, with hard labour. George Gage, a half-caste, was convicted of forging and uttering a cheque for £5. After the prisoner addressed the Court, his Honor sentenced him to two years' imprisonment, with, hard labour. On June 14,- the case which occupied the attention of the Court the whole day was the robbery pf tobacco from the warehouse of Messrs. Cruickskank, Smart, and Co., on the Bth of February last. The jury returned a verdict 1 of "Guilty of larceny," and the prisoner was sentenced to two years' imprisonment! with hard labour. There was another sitting of the Supreme Court on June 15. The whole of the day was occupied by the case of the alleged shooting by Frederick Houghton, with intent to kill a native named Pene Amine, a + > the Bay of Islands. Several native witnesses were examined. The jury ultimately returned a verdict of not guilty, which was received with cheers by the public in the gallery. On June 16, Matthew EC. Frost> -was bro\\gb.t up charged with having stolen a watch and chain from a fellow-rolunteer at Shortland ; but, after a long investigation, the jury brought in a verdict of Not guilty, when the prisoner was discharged. William Fagg was iound guilty on three charges of selling arms to natives. An interesting fact was brought out in the examination of a native, who stated that the money paid by the Government for native land waa expended in the purchase of arms. Sentence was deferred. An inquest on the body of John Roskill was held on June 16, at the Kail way Terminus Hotel, before Dr. Philson and a jury, of whom James Chaplain was foreman. After the witnesses had been examined, a verdict waa returned that " deceased was found drowned with a Veighfc attached to his body ; but by what means there was no evidence to show." An inquest was heldon June 17 at Papakura Bridge by CharleB Meilsop, Esq., R.M., and Coroner for the district, and a respectable jury, of whom Mr. Worthington was elected foreman, on the body of Thomas Callaghan, a discharged, soldier of H.M. 70th Regiment, who died very suddenly on June 17.— The jury gave a verdict that deceased had died from fatty degeneration of the heart. A coroner's inquest was held at 2 o'clock on June 21, at the Lunatic Asylum,, before Dr. Gbldsbro', on view of the b6dyof Sarah Newdick, who had died suddenly on Sunday After evidence had been adduced, a verdict of "Death, from natural causes" was returned. . An inquest was held on Tuesday, June 21, at the Railway Terminus Hotel, before Dr. T. M. Philson, and a respectable jury, touching the circumstances attending the death of John Hannigan^wko was drowned in Cox's Creek. . .Evidence having been adduced the juryVonjTuesday returned a verdict of ''Found^ro^ned.^ An accident of a painful nature occurred on tlie Waiotahi l on 'June' 27. It' appears' that, as-a young'manwas proceeding up the Waiotahi, - he -lie^rd^h'e'-shriek' of ' a female, and "on jproceedip^tb^tue' spot Wuii'dl th&V •Mrsi Vale) thewifeof;ai4iiier/hajilost lier child, ,wlio,had .fallen;mto anidlctishaft 1 close 3 at i hane(j .Theyo^iJg mpLat^ace'^olttn.teeredt"o deScehd'the shaft;jwfW^cE/ff.l;Be'cb,ild, Wtliou^ itf wa^£^e ; *6^^ Another iiiiinysV^attdJyoiiliifdered "Ma 7 yicei,- anft *tluj> liyV '.means hi te iapeHofom^[ ftiilgh lie P dis'^ covered 'the^TiaA^fl^feßi^ll^e water, its dress, having caught on iaome projecting

( [ as«iatance came. The infunfr w»s restored l 1 to its parent none the worse, for the terrible ; fall. I An accident occurred in the Una Company's mmc, Thames, on June27ahdresultedinserious mi l jflgy t0 one of tie eohtracWg, named McCorimck. - One of the siSes of, the drive caved in and partially buried McCormicfc., He was soon extricated; -%hen! his leg was found to be broken below the knee At the Petty Sessions Cotut on June 28 the principal case was au information laid against Mr. X Graham, for an alleged' breach of the Mamage Act. The defendant was charged by Mr. John Lundon with having knowingly and wilfully made a. false declaration before the Eegi3trar of Marriages, in the form of schedule B of the Mamage Act, by declaring, .under section 12, that there were no impediments as to kindred or alliance preventing his marrying Miss Home, his reputed niece. Mr Bees waa retained for the prosecution, and Messrs. Wynn and MacCormick for the defence. Mr. J. M. Weyland, Registrar, and Mr. S. Cochrane were examined aud after hearing the addresses of counsel tne Jaench ilismissed the case. A. house containing 13 rooms, the property of Mr. J. Bennett, and situated at Dedwood was destroyed by fire on July 4. The house was new, never having been occupied, and the nre is supposed to have been the act of an. incendiary. The building was insured in tlie Koyal Insurance Company for £700, its estimated value being double that amount