RESIDENT MAGISTRATE'S COURT

Inangahua Times, Volume II, Issue II, 21 December 1881, Page 2

RESIDENT MAGISTRATE'S COURT

Monday, December 19th, 1881. v .' (Before W. H. Kevell, Esq , R.M.) FOKSERY. Charles Mirfiri^ edjtfor of the Inaflg*liua iterald, was elv&rged upon theUfl" formation of William H ugh Jones, soli citor,. tliat be Gl»«rl«;s Mir&n, of Eeef^f ton, printer, did on the 9th day of December, 1881. unlawfully, knowingly, andr falsely forge and counterfeit a 'certain. message to I c sent by ODe William Hugh .Jones to one James Taylor, Brunnerton." Mr Perkins appeared for the prosecution, and Mr Lynch appeared^ foMbe^ defence* The following evidence was called :— G. W. Sampson—l am officer in charge at the Eeefton Telegraph Station, I pro* duee Commissioners authority to allow me to cive evidence and produce tele« crams, also written request from Taylor ; Moioced. *grsm"slp?d " J JMfj ynnrmflttr w e&ton s j Committee," [dated 9;h December, 1881. was produced.] j At this stnge of the proceedings, legal ! argument followed, but the Bench ruled the telegram admissible. Examination continued—The telegram was presented and paid for by Mr M'Kenna, rate collector, for transmission. The handwriting " Jones, Chairman Weston'a Committee " is in Mr Mii-fin (the defendant's) handwriting. When I received tie telegram I did not transmit it because it was obvious that the right sender of the message bad not signed it. Immediately I saw the mes« sage I told M'Kenna the message was ill: defendant's handwriting. He said he knew nothing about it; I subsequently referred the telegrams to Jones for indorsement, he stated at once they were forgeries, and refused to indorse; I understood the message, supposing I bad' not know informant's hfindwrifciog, was^ from him ; I knew him to be chairman of Weston's Committee. By Mr Lynch : I know Mr Jones' ordinary signature, which is W. H. Jone?. The telegram is not iv Jones'.handwritine. When the telegram was' presented, I felfc sure that Mr Jones was chairman of Weston's Committee, but to make quite sore I made enquiries 8t once ; I found ont by Mr Boers, one of my officers ; I never knew Mr Jones to send telegram before signed " Jones,'* William Hugh Jones— l am a solicitor of the Supreme Court of New Zealand, residing at Eeefton ; I know Thomas Shatter- Weston of Cbristchurcb, also a solicitor of the Supreme (fourt of New Zealand. He was a candidate at the recent election fur the Tnangahua district. Brunnerton is in th at district. The other j candidates were Richard Reeves and Wro. M'Lean. Mr Weston lias been re- j turned by a majority of 230 votes, Mr M'Lean had 39 votes. Joseph Taylor, storekeeper, Brunnerton, appears upon the roll as an elector ; I saw Taylor sign the , document marked exhibit B. There is no other James Taylor, storekeeper, Brunnerton, that lam aware of. Taylor told me he was a supporter of Mr Weston. At public meeting of the supporters of Mr Weston, held on the sib December at Eater's Hall, I was appointed ch airmajD, of Weslon's Committee, pria> in Ithat capacity presided over a committee meeting the same night. There has been no other permanent Chairman since that date, and at all meetings of the com* mittee, at which I was present, I acted as chairman. In ray capacity as chairman on the 7th December, I in*.erriewed Mr Taylor, and introduced myself to him as chairman of Weston's Committee at Eeefton. 1 never beard of any other committee from the sth December, until (lie present time. Never knew ar.y other Jones, Chairman of Weston's Committee. Mr Sampson on the 9'h December produced telegram marked exhibit C for my endorsement. The telegram is in defendant's handwriting, and irt confirmations of this I produce a bill from him for advertisements relating to this election, exhibit D ; I never authorised the defendant or any one else to sign or send this | telegram ; I did not endorse the telegram ! on presentation for following reasons : — Ist, Because it does not bear my signature. 2nd. Because it was false in fact. 3rd. Because it would have defrauded Mr Weston of certain votes. 4th. Because it would have ruined me, and made me appear a traitor. By Mr Lynch— There was no public notification in a newspaper of my ap« poin'ment, but there was a public notice convening a meeting of elector"! ; I am not registered as chairman of Wes'oh's Committee ; I believe there are several other persons in Eeefton of the name of Jones. There is no attempt to disguise signature to telegram exhibit (\ My ordinary signsture is Wm. Hugh Jones* I swear I went to Brunnerton, and found only one Taylor, storekeeper, thpre. W. Faler, Times reporter — I attended meeting of Mr Weston's supporters on sth December held at Eater's Hall. It wns a public? meeting of Weston's supporters. Mr Jones w«s a p, roinfeJ chairman of committee. He h » been chairman of Mr Wes'on's Com' mittee throughout the election j I think

it either defendant's hand >vrif ing, or a clever imitation. If I ha i received tele* ■ "grata ■■fhrougn the office -I should have understood it to have come from the informant. \ The Contents of the- telegram are false. ; ?,; '■„. ,- : ' } .- liepis JoSeph^Ti'Kerfna -*T am:- rate collector residing atßeefton ; I recollect 9th December, last election day ; I took six telegrams to the office for transmission | the one produced looks like the one I ; gave to Mr Sampson for tfaosmtssion. The telegram produced looks Jikfl one of them ; the wording is similar ; Mr Samp* "sen -seemed surprised at the contents of the telegram, and stated that he did not know what to do ; I was not an agent for 1 aiiy particular purpose in carrying the surprised when Mr Sampson refused to take them. When first I took the telegrams io? Mr he said he would bare iod shW them to the ; informant. Mr Sampson subsequenty said that be would send the telegrams without showing tbem to informant ; I received the telegrams from Mr M' Sherry, who also gave me the money for^tbeir transmission. John M' Sherry: >I am clerk to Mr jksßHiny I Ireeoileyt elftrtfott day ;on that day I gate 4or 5 telegrams to the last witness fo»* tranerahsion ; I believe exhibit produced is one of them j I got th« telegrams from defendant ; I received them in the front office ; the telegram forms were not procured in our office ; I do .not recognise the handwriting. By Mr Lynch : I asked Mr Mirfin to get me a memorandum of association from the Herald oSce. He replied that ho was on his way to the telegraph office, and wanted particularly to forward some telegrams which he had in his band, but was willing to return to his office if I would at once transmit the telegrams. I said that I would send them, and Mr Mirfin , gave me half-a-soyereign. £ knew* 3u>thihr*of tEe contents of the iplee gYams. George Wise : I am a eharebroker re* siding in Reef ton. I know the informant and that he was chairman of Mr Weston's committee. I know defendant's handwriting although I cannot swear positively .40 that? produced ; lam -one pf Mr Weston's .supporters ; .• the conlents of the. telegram are false as regards that date (December 9tb.) Had I received the telegram I would have been deceived by it, in consequence of its bearing informant's name. I only know oi one Taylor, storekeeper in Brunnerton. iThertJ was .no other. Jones, chairman of* Weston's committee in Eeefton at that date, The defendant, receiving the usual caution, made the following statement :— I admit that I wrote the telegrams, and authorised so^tb do bygone*,, 'chairman 'WestoriY committee. Had Mr Sampson applied to me, knowing my handwriting, I could have explained the circumstances to him sutisfactorily. The defendant was then committed for trial ofc ibe ?}ext 'sitfing of the District Court, &eefton, Defendant was admitted to bail, himself in £100 and two sureties of £50 each, the bail being tendered by Mr J. M'Gaffito and Mr W. William?.. s The .same, defendant was charged- j. upon a second information" with having forged the name of W. H. Jonea to a similar telegram addressed to Qeorgcißedmayne, Brunnerton. The evidence tendered in proof of the charge was a repetition of that given in the former case, and at the conclusion? the de« fendant reserved' his defence, and was committed for trial as in the former case, bail being allowed. Civil Cases. M'Williams r. Pollock. Claim for horse-hire and money.* Ju^gnien^t by de«; fault, for tbe amount claimed with costs.' Quigley v. Pollotk. Adjourned for evidence to be taken at Westport. Oxley v. O'Brien. Claim for goods Sold and delivered ; judgment by default for amount claimed with costs. M'Lellan Bros v. Ah Lang and Ah Jew ; no appearance ; struck out. Craig v, Greati Northern Company ; paid into Court. Same v. Walhalla Company ; paid into Court. SIMPKIN9 V. EICHAEDSOIT. This was a claim for £10 damages. orisiDg out of an assault on the morning of the late fire. The following evidence was called :— * Thomas Sinipljins, carpenter,' recollected the 30th November last, and was at the fire from the commencementAbout six or seven in the morning, while he was searching for the remains of Peter Alsted, Richardson played the hose on him, but before plaintiff reach the de* fendant he struck the plaintiff with the nozzle of the hose, and as he was getting away felt a blow at the back of the head. On receiving the blow the blood rushed out of his mouth, nose, and eyes. This disabled the plaintiff for Tour days, and believes the bridge of his nose to be broken. The assault was altogether unprovoked. Charles Mirfin— T know the plaintiff, and was present at the fire. After seeding the man Weeding I saw Eichardson in charge of the ..ljO.se.. The water., was kept on following where Simpkins and myself moved; / Dr Thorpe attended' 'the plaintiff for a broken nose and Mack eye. Richard Dobbin — I heard Simpkins say to Richardson " Why are you play ing water on men like that you wretch." Richardson slew round, and immednlely afterwards I saw Simpkins bleeding and holding his hands to hia face. This closed tbe case for the plaintiff. W. Richardson— l am lieutenant to *he Fire Brigade. I directed the rng : n c

to play on the luins to cool the burning ashes. After having done so, I called for volunteers to go and look fop the remains and found them ; I thereupon called for the police to take charge of the ,yetna-ins,-and directed Abe water in that direction. Sfmpkins and Mirfin , were there on the spot, and got water on them. SitnpkiDS thereupon came up to me, and hit me at the back of the head. When I struck him with my fi«t. On coming up to me again I struck him with my fist^ Five or sii witnesses for the defence, corroborated that of defendant. I Fined, £1, and costs; • The Court then adjourned.