Dearly Bought Experience.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume III, Issue 337, 13 August 1889, Page 2

Dearly Bought Experience.

Thb R.M. Court yesterday morning presented quite an unusual appearance, being crowded to excess by persons wishing to hear the charges preferred against those who took part in the raffia of the racehorse Fitzjames the other day. John H. Aislabie was the first on the list, he being charged with unlawfully disposing nt a certain ticket by which a horse was thrown for by dice. The prisoner pleaded guilty. Sergeant Bullen stated that the information was laid under Section 18 of the Police Offences Act. In reply to Mr Booth the accused stated that Mr Hamon wee the owner ot the racehorse Fitzjames. Witness being a commission agent, Hamon had asked him to dispose of the horse, and he replied saying the times were very hard at present, and the only way in which the horse could be disposed ot to advantage would ba to raffle it.. He accordingly got up the raffle, sold all the tickets, and arranged for the raffle to take place. No one was to blame but witness. On the day on which the raffle was to come off, Sergeant Bullen warned him not to have anything to do with it, and also to stop the raffls taking place. The same evening a meeting of the subscribers took plaoe, and it was decided that so long as the affair did not come off in a public house there would be no danger, and a committee was formed to carry on the raffle in a private house. He had nothing to do with it after Sergeant Bullen had warned him of the danger. If he had known that there would have been this trouble, or that it was an infringement of the law, he would certainly not have had anything to do with it. Several other racehorses had been raffled, and the police took no notice of them. He concluded by saying that be would throw himself on the leniency of the Court. Mr Booth eaid he was quite satisfied as to the accused’s statement, but ignorance of the law was no excuse for people getting up riffles. It was the accused’s business to first make himself acquainted with the Act before getting up anything ot that sort. The Sergeant explained that the person who supplied him with the information, could also supply him with the names of all those who participated in the raffle. Mr Booth said it was impossible to get away from the Act ot Parliament, which stated that a penalty not exceeding £2OO could be inflicted, This case would act as a warning in future to persons who were in the habit of getting up raffles, as it would be published in the papers. He would flue the aooused £5, and costs ss.

Winter John Hamon, on being asked whether he pleaded guilty to taking pari in the raffle, said, “ I plead guilty to being the owner of the horse, The horse was thrown tor by dice, with my consent and knowledge.** Mr Booth l There is no doubt but that you were a partner in the affair, and you had better plead guilty. Hamon was then fined £1 and costs 13s. Robert Wake pleaded guilty to buying a tioket. Tn doing 80, he understood that the law could not be broken so long as a raffle did not take plaoe in any licensed plaoe. Mr Booth : You should have made yourself acquainted with the Act. Fined £1 and ousts Ila, John Adeane also pleaded guilty to purchasing a ticket in the raffls. In reply to the R.M., as to whether ho had any statement to make, the prisoner said: I was never tn a raffls before in Gieborne. I asked Aislabie when buying the tioket if the raffle was not against the law, and be said, *Oh t no; several of our J.P.’s often go in for raffles.’ Later on I heard that the police were taking action In the matter, and I again spoke to Aislabie, and he admitted Sergeant Bullen had tried to stop the raffle, I asked Aislabie for my money back, as I did not want to have anything to do with it. He said there would be no ■ show' of that, and that I had better take my chance, which I accordingly bad to do. I tried hard to get my money back, but without Buocess. I know the police have been quite cognisant ot previous raffles, but they have not taken any action in the matter. Mr Booth 1 You took your ohanM, and will have to take the consequences. Fined £1 and costa 7s. Bergcaht Bullen then asked for permission to withdraw the other charges, It was now Clearly shown that any parson who took any part In a raffle was Hable to ba punished. Mr Booth said that so long as ths present Act was in force, those who got up or in any way took part in a raffle were liable to be fined £2OO. There was no doubt now but these oacss would act as a warning to others. The other easel, were then withdrawn.