A man named Alexander Nicholson was yesterday committed for trial for stealing from one Berlin, a seaman, a pocket-book containing eight Ll notes. Berlin and the prisoner met on Saturday, and got drinking together eventually reaching, about 5 p.m., the Douglas Hotel, in the bar of which Berlin, who was very drunk, fell asleep. Detective Bain, who happened to be in the hotel, saw the prisoner with his hands feeling about Berlin in a suspicious manner, and rushing in, caught him with the pocket-book in his hand. The prisoner admitted taking the book, but said he did so to keep it for Berlin, who might have afterwards been robbed, when suspicion world naturally have fallen upon him (the prisoner). Mr Watt said in such a case the prisoner should have asked the landlord of the hotel to witness his taking the book, or else have given it to the landlord to keep. He therefore could not believe the prisoner's story, and committed him for trial. Bail was allowed in one surety of L20, and two of L10 each. -Otago Daily Times, 16/12/1879.
An inquest upon the body of Alexander Nicholson, the man who died from injuries sustained while bathing from the prison hulk at Port Chalmers, was held on the 6th, and a verdict of "Accidental death" returned. From the evidence it appeared that the deceased, in diving, miscalculated the depth of the water and struck the bottom with such force that his spine was seriously injured. Deceased was a native of Sydney, Cape Breton, Prince Edward's Island, Nova Scotia, and was boatswain on board the ship Thomas Stephens when she arrived at Port Chalmers a few months ago. He pleaded guilty at the late sessions of the Supreme Court to a charge of stealing from the person, and was sentenced to six months' imprisonment with hard labour. -Otago Witness, 14/2/1880.
Alexander Nicolson has no known grave.
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