Two mon were charged with committing burglaries in Burkill Road. The first prisoner dealt with was alleged to have stolen clothing to the value of $300 from 553, Burkill Road between 2 and 4 a.m. on the 10th inst. The burglars had obtained ieees to the house by making a hole in the wall. The suspicions of Detective-Sergeant Vaughan were aroused by a description of aman with a bundle of clothing who was soon walking in the neighbourhood on the morning in question. He succeeded in tracing accused, who denied any knowledge of the affair. On searching his room, however, Detective-Sergeant Vaughan discovered a quantity of the stolen property and pawn tickets for a deal more, Accused said that he had found the clothing behind a grave, in the country.
The Court sentenced him to 400 blows and one year's imprisonment.
The other accused, who came into Court covered with mud and with a wound on his head, was charged with burglariously breaking and entering No.
Burkill Road at 3.20 a.m. on the 26th inst., and stealing therefrom 15 articles of clothing, Inspector Mackintosh said that burglaries were of almost nightly occurrence in the Sinza district.
Dat, Sergeant Vaughan sui that accompanied by P.. Mills he wont outset about a.m, to endeavour to catch the persist ent burglar. Ho went round to 553, Burkill Road where the last. prisoner had stolon some clothing, and just as he was examining the hole through which the entrance had been effected, accused came out of the.next house and' ran into some paddy fields. Witness and P. C. Mills chased accused, and when he had run some little way prisoner dropped the bundle he was carrying. Witness and the constable came up with the man and then had a most desperate struggle with him. Prisoner was armed with a chisel, with which he let out right and left, cutting Constable Mills on the nose, over the eye, and on the leg; stabbing witness in the leg and biting his wrist. The chisel was eventually—taken away but it was not until twenty minutes had elapsed and the constable had used his truncheon that prisoner was secured and taken to the station. Had the weapon been sharper the constable would certainly have lost the sight of his eye.
Inspector Mackintosh said that prisoner had the marks of blows—apparently given in the country, Witness did not think that he had been convicted before he would ask for a remand as it was believed, that prisoner had been concerned in some other burglaries.
Prisoner told some ridiculous story about the police slashing him over the head with a knife.
The Court remanded accused until Wednesday, the 27th inst.
Before Mr. Wane (Assistant Magistrate) and Mr. H, H. Bristow (Assistant British Assessor.)
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.