SMASHING A WINDOW.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 3156, 28 February 1911, Page 2

SMASHING A WINDOW.

AN ACT OF MISCHIEF. FOUR MONTHS’ IMPRISONMENT. George Sampson, alias Reid, appeared before Mr. W. A. Barton, S.M., at the Magistrate’s Court yesterday morning, charged with:, having broken a pane of glass valued at £lO, the property of S. McLernon. The accused replied, in ans Aver to the charge, that he Avas drunk, and did not remember anything about it. John Colbert, laborer, stated that about 9.30 p.m. on Saturday' be was standing in Gladstone Road, opposite the Albion Hotel, when the accused came along and said “Good night.” He Avanted to know if witness was a poor man. Witness said he did not know, and accused remarked that be would do something desperate that night. He then walked along the street a few yards and hurled a stone through the window. He must have had the stone in lu c pocket. Witness was not a mate of accused, and be did not bet accused that he was not game to break the window. Accused appeared to be sober, but be appeared to be suffering from the effects of drink. Walter Samson, proprietor of the Turanganui Hotel, said he heard the sound of breaking glass, and satv that the accused had thrown a stone. He had a narrow escape fr.pm being hit by the missile. Henry Stewart Parnell McLernon, jeweller, said that he was startled by the sound of breaking glass, and on going outside found that his window had been broken. The stone fortunately did not break anything inside his window. Accused again said that he Avas under the influence of liquor, and . remenir

hered nothing about the matter. Constable- Moriarty said that about 9,30 p.m. on Saturday he noticed accused being pursued along LoAve Street by Mr. McLernon and a number of people, and witness later arrested him. Ho admitted that he threw the stone, and said his mate bet him lie Avould not throw it. /Accused Avas under the influence of liquor, but Avas not drunk enough to lie locked up. Sergeant Hutton said that accused had been convicted of theft in the South and Avilful damage of a similar nature in Auckland, for Avhieh be was imprisoned for two months.

The Magistrate said that the previous case should have been a warning to accused, and he could not be allowed to go about damaging other people’s property. He would be sentenced to four months’ imprisonment.