“Sudbury Police Court,” Sudbury Star. November 27, 1918. Page 08.
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‘Charlie’ Won This ‘Pot.’
‘Pst! Who’s there?’
Voice at keyhole (soft pedal) - ‘Charlie.’
Voice within - ‘Let Charlie in.’
Such was the little drama enacted Sunday night last when P. C. John Gagne (Charlie) walked in on a gathering of Sunday gamblers at the Nickel Range Hotel. ‘Charlie’ immediately proceeded to confiscate a $22.50 ‘pot’ and also collected $16.50 from each of those sitting in. In Monday’s police court nine men paid $5.00 and costs each for gambling on the Lord’s Day.
Another Fur Case
Still another fur deaer, Lindsay McNaughton, has run foul of the Game Warden. Monday morning he paid $160 and costs, $20 each for the six beaver and two otter pelts found illegally in his possession.
May Be Developments
A week’s adjournment has been granted in the thirteen charges of theft proffered by the C.P.R. against Italians at Crean Hill in connection with the seizure of a carload of whiskey near that village last week. It is charged that the Italians illegally broke open the car before paying the freight, and it is hoped that the hearing of these charges may throw some light on the shipment of liquor from Quebec. Meanwhile C.P.R. officers are also said to be conducting an investigation.
Perjury Somewhere
After hearing all the evidence on a charge of trafficking in raw fur coupons, instituted by Game Warden Mulligan against W. J. Wilcox, a Sudbury fur dealer. Magistrate Brodie commented that he was convinced that perjury had been committed by either the Crown’s chief witness, or by defendant and that the original charge as a result had, in his Worship’s mind, developed into a mere side issue.
A Levack trapper, Louis Gignac, was apprehended at Sudbury C.P.R. depot by Game Warden Mulligan and thirty coupons recovered from his person. Ten of this number were made out in the name of Joseph Rioux, Spanish, and ten in the name of F. Armstrong, Algoma Mills, both of which names, the authorities believe, are fictitious, or at least that these men, if they do exist, have no knowledge of the issuance of the coupons and did not apply for them in person. They were issued by the Sudbury Hardware Co.
In his evidence Gignac swore that he had been given the coupons by Wilcox. On the other hand Wilcox testified to the direct contrary. A Weisman, of the Sudbury Hardware Co., said that he had issued no coupons to Mr. Wilcox, but assumed, however, that he had issued them to Rioux and Armstrong, although he could not place either men.
After expressing a desire to fix the apparent perjury on one or other of the principals, Magistrate Brodie consented to the Crown’s request for one week’s adjournment. In the meantime, an attempt is to be made to locate Rioux and Armstrong.
One obstacle which lies in the path of the Crown’s case is the fact that there was no witnesses to the alleged transfer of the coupons from Wilcox to Gignac, nor to the conversation which preceded or followed. One feature of the case which favors Wilcox is the fact that Gignac admitted under oath that he had lied to Wilcox on certain points.
Ten coupons are allowed for each trapper’s license. It developed that Gignac had sold Wilcox eighteen beaver skins and was found with thirty coupons in his possession, with which he was to have delivered further pelts.
‘I think the fur business is a skin game,’ commented Magistrate Brodie.
A Mere Piffle
Phelda Valle has no use for money. So small a sum as $70 is mere piffle - so small, in fact, that he did not think it worth while attending police court Tuesday morning after preferring a charge against Martin T. James.
‘He can’t value his $70 very highly,’ commented the magistrate. ‘Dismissed.’
James lost no time in getting out of the court room.
