WHOLESALE ROBBERIES.

Auckland Star, Volume XXVI, Issue 125, 4 June 1885, Page 2

WHOLESALE ROBBERIES.

Juvonilo Prococlty ln Crime,

O.vi; of the most sy_.on.atic scries of robberies I hat has been under investigation in Auckland for a considerable lime past camo beforo Hue Police Court 10-day. Two children of tender years, named llendoe Dewson and William llcmliick, were charged with the commission of no less lhau eight robberies, while Harriet Dewson, another of tho litllo girls, and an accomplice named John Joseph Comas, alias Murphy, were nccusod of receiving tho stolen goods, Although only those clghht cases woro traced, (hero is reason to believe that an lmiiicnso number of ot her llicftehad been previously committed and the gouihi made away with. The children wero conjointly charged with stealing a dress, valuo _s, tbo proporty of W. K. Ogllvlo: seven suits of boys' clothing, valuo £1 1.55, the properly of James Scott; articles of female apparel, value his fid, the property of •Innies O'Donuell ; pinafores, kerchiefs, &0., value 12s, Ihe properly of William Wright; aprons, stockings, and kerchiefs, value Us 6d, Ihe proporty ol Catherine McCabo; trousers, tunic, .cc, valuo Ills (id, the proporty of William Stanford; boy's suit and two shirts, valno lis, the property of John Powell; ono shawl, value 2s_d, the proporty of Albert Gobolinsky. Tho youthful prisoners, whose ages were each about ten years, pleaded guilty. Sergeant Pratt asked for a remand until Saturday, as ho believed it was Iho intention of the Resident Magistrate to commit the children to tho Industrial School. Thoy wero at tlio present time boing taken care or by Mrs. Hutchinson. Tho larcony which tho prisoners were charged with committing had been perpetrated at varioUß times from the Ist of April until tho beginning of the presont month. Both children had been engaged in the robberies, and had conveyod tho spoil to Dowson's house, where they woro recovered by two oklor persons who would presently come before tho court. The lad Hendrick was in the habit of frequenting Dowson's house, and kept company with the little girl, and was with her when the majority of Iho offences wore committed. Detective Jones found the goods secreted in Dowson's house, and there- • lore the mother was charged with receiving them, knowing them to have been stolen. He asked that the convictions be recorded against the juvenile prisoners, in order that the case against the others accused might be proceeded with. This was accordingly (lone. John Joseph Comas, alias Murphy, was then charged with stealing goods, valuo £7 ss. the property of James Laing, and also with the larceny of clothing, value £1 3s„ the property of Albert Goboluiseey. He pleaded not guilty, and Sergeant Pratt proceeded to call tho Following evidence. C'ecilie Laing, wife'of James Laing, deposed that her husband was the proprietor of tho Provincial Hotol. She remembered the 18th of May, when there were a quantity of clothes on a line in the hotel yard. These included oighteen pillow slips, eight toilet covers, two suits, one night dress, and some riding clolhing. She identified the articles produced as being tho same as those put out on the line. Prisoner hud been living at the hotel, and remained there four or five days after she went there. Hendola Dewson, aged 10 years, deposed that tho prisoner was often ;in their house at Eden Crescent, but she had never seen him sleep there. One night prisoner brought to thenhouse a large bundle which contained a lot of clothes. That was about threo or four weeks ago. There was a big rosy dress in the bundlo. The dress, jacket, pillow slips and sheets produced, were in the bundle. Prisoner said he brought tho things to be washed, but thoy were not wushed. Prisoner said his mother could Mt some of tho things oil her bed for another \>_ek, and sho put them on. This was when they lived in Hobson-street, and prisoner stayed with them several days. P-i ■'!•". brought, other bundles besides the one ..•!(:.. cd io. Tlio case was still proceeding when ivo went to press. Eight charges of receiving stolen goods were also to be preferred against Comas and Mrs Dewson conjointly.