WATCH AND CHAIN TAKEN

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21245, 27 July 1932, Page 14

WATCH AND CHAIN TAKEN

LABOURER FOUND GUILTY SCUFFLE OUTSIDE HOTEL A story of a theft on hotel premises and a resulting chase and scuffle was told in the Supreme Court yesterday, when Owen Byrne, an Irish labourer, aged 37, was charged with stealing from Patrick William Vanderspeck, a silver watch, a gokl chain, a ppndant, a sovereign caso, a sovereign, and an Irish lottery ticket, of a total value of £l3 ss. The incident took placo on July 4, and tho case was heard by Mr. Justice Smith. Ernest Montgomery, licensee of a city hotel, said he had seen accused and Vanderspeck scuffling in the middle of the road. Vanderspeck brought Byrne back to witness, and said, "This man has taken my watch and chain." Accused said, 'Let me go and I will give you your watch and chain." Witness went to look for a constable, and while he was away Byrne escaped. The complainant Vanderspeck, a seaman, said accused, whom he did not know, had joined the group with whom witness was drinking in a hotel bar. Witness went out, saw his watch and chain disappear, and turning round saw Byrne, whom he immediately accused. Byrne was the only ono there. Witness got hold of him and threw him down. Byrne said, "Let mo up and I'll give you your watch and chain." Byrne ran out, and witness caught him again, but he. ultimately got away. That night witness found his watch and chain in tho outside pocket of his overcoat. No evidence was called for the defence, counsel submitting that the facts did not justify the charges against accused. Accused was found guilty and was remanded for sentence.