Perth Gazette and Western Australian Journal (WA : 1833 - 1847), Saturday 5 October 1833, page 158


QUARTER SESSIONS.

FREMANTLE, OCTOBER 1, 1833.

Before the Honorable W. H. Mackie, Esquire

Chairman, and a full Bench of Magistrates

James Laurence was indicted for stealing a quart of Brandy, the property of his master, Louis Mayo—Verdict—Guilty. Sentence, three months' imprisonment with hard labour.

Philip Corrigan, a private in the 63rd, was in-dicted for stealing a quantity of Mahogany plank, and quartering, the property of Mr. Charles Le-

roux.

The plank was accidentally discovered by Green, a bricklayer, who was employed by Corrigan to build a chimney in a house in barrack-street, and on digging the foundation, struck against the boards. He gave information to Hunt the consta-ble, who was on the look out for the property, being apprized by Cooke, the carpenter, that plank and quartering was missing from the new buildings erecting by Mr. Leroux; he obtained a search warrant, and, in company with Welsh, seized the property, which was identified by Cooke as part of the missing timber.

The Prisoner, in his defence, stated, that his allotment was not fenced in, and the house was open, there being a thoroughfare through it,—he did not know what brought the timber upon his

grant.

Verdict—Guilty. Sentence, 6 months' imprison-

ment with hard labour.

Mary Burgess was indicted for stealing a Carpet Bag, containing a cloth riding habit, and other wearing apparel, the property of Mr. Nathaniel

Shaw.

Verdict—Guilty. Sentence, 3 months' imprison-

ment with hard labour.

Nussip, a man of colour, was indicted for an Assault with intent to commit a rape on a child 8 years of age, the daughter of Robert Collins.

The attempt was sufficiently proved, and the Prisoner was found guilty, but in consideration of his previous good behaviour, and character, was only sentenced to 2 months' imprisonment with

hard labour.

Charles Waridam was indicted for stealing some tobacco, and salt fish, from a wrecked boat, the property of Mr. Charles Boyd.—Verdict—Not Guilty.

Pee Buckers was indicted for stealing a Written order for payment of 21s., the property of Henry Gomez at Perth.—Verdict—Guilty. Sentence, 4 months' imprisonment with hard labour.

Robert Collins was indicted for feloniously re-taining possession of a lost Gun.

It appeared in evidence, that Fisher, Mr. Down-ing's servant, soon after his arrival here from Hobart-town, was sent up the country with stock, and on his return, being the worse for liquor, af-ter leaving Gregory's, the Pine-apple Inn, a few miles from Perth, he mistook his way, and went in the direction of Collins's house, near the Flats, where the dogs were set upon him by a man who came out in his shirt, and he received a tremend-ous blow over his arm, which his double barrelled gun partially protected, but he was so much in-jured, that he dropped the gun, and made his es-cape, he scarcely know how. This took place about eight o'clock in the evening.

Several witnesses swore to the condition Fisher was in when he reached Perth between 9 and 10 on the evening alluded to.

Mr Thomas Anderson, who lives about 150 yards from Collins's, heard a great noise, and the dogs barking, and shortly afterwards a man, who he afterwards found was Fisher, called at his house, and asked his servant the way to Perth, and at the same time complained of the treatment he had received. After this evening, Collins's servant was frequently seen by him with a double barrelled gun, but never previously.

The Servant swore that he had been prohibited by his master from taking the gun into Perth.

Welch and Hunt having obtained information that a gun, answering the same description as the one which was lost, had been in the possession of Collins's servant, procured a search warrant and found it on his premises.

Mr. Downing swore to the gun, as being his property, and the one entrusted to the charge of

Fisher.

William Shilton, deposed, that he had lived for some months in Collins's house ; was not at home

on the night of the row, but Collins had told him of it. That he (Mr. Shilton) found the gun about 2 or 3 weeks after the man had been turned away

from the house. He called regularly for his paper at the Gazette Office, but did not think of men-tioning the circumstance. Had said to Collins "what a man finds, I suppose is his own," to which Collins replied "as it was on my grant, we'll go

halves."

Verdict—Guilty. Sentence, 4 months' imprison-

ment with hard labour.

Bourne was indicted for assaulting H. R. Bond, constable, in the execution of his duty.—Verdict— £5 10s 4d. the amount of the doctors bill.

"NO HONESTY AMONGST THIEVES."—Stephen Hawker and George Balquoison, old offenders, were indicted for stealing, whilst prisoners at Fre-mantle Jail, a silk waistcoat and a silk pocket handkerchief, the property of a fellow Prisoner. Pleaded Guilty—The former 2 months', and the latter 3 months imprisonment with hard labour.