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Henry Goss
Perth Gazette and West Australian Times (WA : 1864 - 1874), Friday 3 January 1868, page 2-4
SUPREME COURT—CRIMINAL SIDE.
[Before His Honor Chief Justice Burt.]
Thursday, January 2, 1868.
Henry Goss, charged with stealing six bottles of gin, part of the cargo of the Arabian, lying in Sulphur Bay, and the property of Arthur Lewis, of Bunbury; there were also second and third counts.
Mr. Loftie defended the accused.
Arthur Lewis, is a publican at Bunbury; prisoner was master of the Arabian, coaster, in October last; that vessel arrived at Bunbury on the 12th or 13th October last, and witness received from that vessel two cases of gin. prisoner being present at the delivery; the gin had been sent to me by Messrs. Padbury A Co. of Perth. The tide-waiter asked me to open one of the cases, as I said it felt light; O’Grady, the owner of the vessel was also present. I told Goss in the evening that I should hold him responsible for the loss of my gin as he was master of the boat; be said he knew nothing about the occurrence, but acknowledged he was master of the boat. When I opened the cases on the jetty, I found two bottles empty and broken and one missing; in the other case one bottle was missing and one broken; I observed that no gin had been spilt among the straw; there was no defect in the packing; of two bottles the paper wrappers had been removed.
Cross-examined by Mr. Loftie — Heard O’Grady and Goss talking about the non-payment of the passage money of a man named M'Guire; that was a day previous to the charge being made. Have known the prisoner for many years and know nothing against him.
Patrick M’Guire, was a passenger from Fremantle to Bunbury in the coaster Arabian, in October last, and laid in a bay at Garden Island, for fifteen days, about three miles at first from Head’s house, then close to it; can see from one aide of the buy to the other. Prisoner was master of the vessel, he gave me some gin while we were in the bay. Myself and other passengers and prisoner went on shore and had some gin at Elder's. Prisoner was on shore frequently at Elder's; remembers prisoner and crew being behind the galley when he handed me some gin in a pannican as I went forward; it was similar gin to what I had at Elder’s; saw prisoner take a bottle from under a monkey coat, pour out of it something into a pannican. and drink it; the bottle was a gin bottle and labelled. I asked prisoner if it was all right; he said it was, that it belonged to Arthur Lewis, and that he should pay him for it.
Cross-examined—The label was similar to that on the bottle produced. Knew O’Grady was generally the master of the vessel, and did not say anything to him of the matter, or until he heard it tasted of at Bunbury; I told prisoner I would pay him for my passage on his return from the Vasse, O'Grady said he would summons me for it; the prisoner did not; was not afraid of being charged with the robbery. Was a policeman at one time, and was discharged within a week.
Bridget Ferguson—Was a passenger in the Arabian in October last; prisoner was the master; anchored at Garden Island near Mrs. Elder's house; one day I was stopped from going down to the cabin, and afterwards saw prisoner and Elder come up from it. Elder having a bottle under his jacket; one night could smell that they were drinking liquor.
Cross-examined—Was quite sure it was a dark bottle Elder had; the cargo and pannican was all in one place; four woman, three men, and six children, and the crew. Had no gin given to her either on board or on shore. I thought M'Guire had been drinking once on the island.
David Header—Was passenger in the Arabian; stayed at Garden Island for 15 or 16 days. One day while we were there, saw prisoner give M'Guire some gin out of a bottle like that produced, than put it into his pocket and he went onshore. Did hear M’Guire ask him about the gin. Goss said it was Lewis's and he would pay for it. On one occasion saw Goss and Elder come out of the cabin; the latter had something like a bottle in the breast of his jacket.
[omission] ... vessel as master. The galley was not high enough for men to hide behind it.
David Francisco—Knows Sulphur Bay and Elder's house; can see right across the bay; the house is about the centre.
A verdict of Not Guilty was returned.
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This page incorporates material from Garry Gillard's Freotopia website, that he started in 2014 and the contents of which he donated to Wikimedia Australia in 2024. The content was originally created on 19 May, 2022 and hosted at freotopia.org/people/gosshenry.html (it was last updated on 25 February, 2024), and has been edited since it was imported here (see page history). The donated data is also preserved in the Internet Archive's collection.