SERIOUS CHARGES.

Auckland Star, Volume XVII, Issue 206, 2 September 1886, Page 2

SERIOUS CHARGES.

Alleged Broaiting antt Entering

No less thai; three,, separate charges, involving the serious accusations of breaking and ontering and incendiarism, woro preferred at the Police Court to-day against a decently-dressed man of middle age named LukOj otherwise Ijiuaouco O'Brien, before Mossrs Moody and Parsons. Sergeant Pratt prosecuted, and the prisoner was undefended. The first charge taken waa that Of Breaking and enterling; the pretlitces of Alexander McLeod, and Stealing therefrom a kit of tools, value £3. The evidence went to show that McLood is a builder, and at the time of the rol'bery was engaged in the erection of a house in that thoroughfare He left the premises on.,the evening of the fifth, after having firmly socurod the window and doors co that no peraon could got in. The topis wore inside, and there was no opening by which,any person could get inside to them. Koturning on the following morning, he found that the.premises.had been entered by a particular window, which was, securely pailqd .down on the previous night., Clay and other mjuks on the sill showed that somebody had gqt through. Information wae given to the 'police, and the tools wero .traced to the prisoner, and it was further discovered, that he hud pawned them at the shop of Mr Olson. Part of tho tools belonged to McLeod, and the remainder to bis workmen. Alexander McLeod, William Stoke 3, md Thomas freeman deposed to the theft of the goods, and identified tho missing articles. John Olnen, pawnbroker, deposed that prisoner pledged the tools with him for 69, in the of McDonald. Accused: Yes ; that is the name of the man I got tho tools from in Queou-stroet. . Ho. asked me if I would bo co good as to pledge them for him, and I did po. The Jionch :Is he here? Accused : I don't know, but I suppose he ia in Auckland. Tho Bench : Well', you should havo had him hero. Prisoner : How could I, when I was locked up ? . Sergoant Pratt said the prisoner had made no requoet on tho subject, or it would havo been attonded to. Oonetablo Lamb doposed to the arrest of the prisonor on anothor charge. Found tho. pawn tickot produced iifjon him. Dotectjve Hughes also gave ovilenco, and paid aoqusod told him they could charge him with what they liked. He did not care if he was transported. This stnt.ou.iont was, however, doniod by tho prisoner. This completed the evidence, and tho prisoner was then charged with breuking and ontoring tho workshop of Will'am Hutchinspn and Sqn, apd steajing tools valuo £9 4s. It appeared from tho statement of Sergeant Pratt that the workshop in question wae originally a H/nblo, qiid was situated in Elliott-streot, at the roar of Whiteoa's brewery. Tho workshop was eocurely locked up on tho ovoning of tho 28th, tho tools being insido. About 2.30 a.m. next day, Conßtabla Konnoy found emoko issuing from tho workshop, and ho broke in and extinguished the fire. When tho workmen returned next day, they found that a portion of the tools had beon stolen. Prisoner attomptod to sell one of tho kits of tools to a second-hand dealer named Clarkeon, who, however, gave information to tho police which led to prisoner's arrest at the chop. Evidence in eorroboration of this statement was given by Messrs Hutchinson, Roberta, Clarkeon, and Conetnblee Keanoy and Lamb. Tbo eamo prisoner was then charged with Betting fire to the workshop in question. Sergt. Pratt said the evidence was precisely the enmo ac in the last caeo. Tho police dependod mainly on the fact that the prisoner was interested in setting fire to tho workshop, so as to obliterate all trace of hie crime. The depositions were read ovor to tho prisoner, who wee committed for trial on all threo sharges.