The trial of Mr. V. V.. Macdonnell, a solicitor and prominent racing man, on a charge of having drawn a cheque on a bank in which he had no account, opened on Thursday at H. M. Supreme Court before his honour Sir Skinner Twner, Chief Judge, and a jury—Messrs. T. W. Sturton, K. JI. Martin T. H. Dean, J. H. Pearson and W. Howells.
Mr. E. Wellman was called as a juror, but stood down upon being challenged by the Crown Advocate.
The charge alleged that on May 19 the accused unlawfully, knowingly and designedly did' falsely pretend to Jackson Thompson Hammond that he had an account at the Mercantile Bank of India, and that a cheque drawn by him was a good and valid order for the payment of $100 and that he had authority to draw a cheque for that amount on the bank.
The Crown Advocate (Mr. H. P. Wilkinson) conducted the prosecution, and Mr. Ranald G. McDonlad defended accused, who pleaded not guilty.
At the outset the Crown Advocate drew his Lordship's attention to the fact that notice had been filed with the court and served upon counsel for the accused that the prosecution would ask leave to alter the date, of the charge (from Monday, May 21, to Saturday, the noth).
Mr. McDonald—If Mr. Hammond wishes to put his neck in the noose I am not going to put any obstacle in the way.
His Lordship said he thought the prosecution had a right to make the alteration, and allowed it.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.