From Western Post 26 January 1861: POLICE Tuesday, January 22 Before the Mayor, Messrs, MARLAY, CADELL, and LYONS, J.P.s. Patrick M'EVAY remanded on a charge of forgery, was discharged. Jos. AUSTEN was summoned for mining of gold on the private land of W BOWMAN, Esq. Mr. CLARKE (for TEMPLETON) appeared for complainant, who after stating the case and saying he did not wish to press the charge heavily against the defendant, called upon Mr. CADELL, who said he had cautioned the defendant against working on his land. Early on the morning of the 15th instant he heard the report of a blast, and afterwards saw AUSTIN come out of a shaft. He told him that he had fired the blast. Mr. BRODRIBB, who defended the case, raised several legal objections, all of which were overruled by the Bench, who found the defendant guilty, and fined him 20s and costs. The case against W LAWLOR, charged with horsestealing was withdrawn. John SCOTT the Mudgee pieman, appeared on summons charged with threatening to cut the throat of his "better half". Mrs SCOTT attributed her husband's unnatural conduct to the influence of drink; when sober she had nothing to fear from him; he had, however, been so bad lately that if he did not mend his ways she should be obliged to leave him; all she wanted was that he should take the pledge. This SCOTT objected to. He could keep sober without anything of the kind, and thought if Mrs SCOTT wold not allow her tongue to run quite so freely, and to throw fewer glasses at his head they might get on much better together. Mrs SCOTT confessed to having been provoked to such doings through his fondness for the glass. The Bench having tried to reconcile the parties without effect, were about to bind the pie vendor over to keep the peace, and in default of his finding security to accommodate him at Mr. McBETH's for three months, when SCOTT came to his senses, and said he thought he would take the pledge. He was consequently remanded a week, at the expiration of which time he was either to produce a written document from his clergyman or else be bound over to keep the peace towards his family and all people, himself in security for £20 and two others for £10 each. P MALLEY was charged with an assault. Jas SHEA said he was leading a horse towards Oakfield on Thursday evening last, when, without giving the least provocation, MALLEY struck him on the eye, which caused it to swell, and from which he suffered very great pain. He challenged him to a fight, but he refused. He was only struck once. Fined 10s and costs, for which Mr. MALLEY politely thanked their honors. ***END*** Annette Piper Please note: Every effort has been to transcribe the above information correctly, however errors may have inadvertently been made. Spelling of surnames/places as appears in original.