ALLEGED WAREHOUSE THEFTS.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIV, Issue 172, 21 July 1903, Page 2

ALLEGED WAREHOUSE THEFTS.

STATEMENTS BY THE ACCUSED,

The Magisterial trial of Farrow, the cellarman at the warehouse of Messrs. John Burns & Co., of Auckland, and a carter named Worms, on several charges oi stealing goods from the firm, was continued before Mr. Brabant, S.M., yesterday afternoon, Mr. Tole conducting the prosecution and Mr. J. C. Martin defending the two accused.

The statement of Farrow to Detective liullis, dated July Bth, was as follows:-----1 am a storeman, lately in the employ of John Burns and Co. On 7th July inst., about 10.30 sum, William Worm, carter, of Clarence-street, Ponsonby, brought me an order 119 from himself for the following goods: 2ew>t white lead, two 5-gallon drums boiled linseed oil, three gallons varnish, three halfbolts scrim, 141bs putty, one till Venetian red, and one tin of dryers, He said: "1 want it for a party. Let me have it." I gave him the above-men-tioned articles. There was no stated price arranged at the time. He was to pay me for it after. 1 was hard up at the tims, aiid that is what I did it for. He took tlie things away in his cart. If I said Morpeth ordered the goods it it not true. 1 only asked him to stand by and acknowledge the order. I met Mr Skinner, painter, of Clarence-street, last night, 7th hist., at 8.30 p.m. He enme to my house He asked me if it was true that these things were not got straight, a-nd I said, "There is a fuss about it." I added, "If you are asked anything about them say you got the oil and lead from Morpeth." He said, "All right; what shall 1 do about the other stuff—shall I obliterate it?" I said, "Yes." He then left me to go and see about it. On Skinncx coming to my house he said, "What is the matter with the stuff Worms brought? Worms has sent me to you."

The statement of the other accused William Worms, a carter living at Clar-ence-street, Ponsonby, dated on July 8, was to the effect that on the previous day he took the white lead, oil, and kerosene from Farrow at Burns' store, and delivered the white lead and oil at Skinner's. He did not see Skinner, but put them in a shed at his house. Worms added that he kept the kerosene for himself, and was informed by Farrow that a row was being made about it at the store. He (Worms) asked if an or der from Carder Brea., Ponsonby, would fix it up. and suggested getting one from his brother, a partner in the firm. THE SECOND CHARGE. The second joint information against I arrow and Woims in respect to alleged thefts in March was then proceeded with. Robert Bums stated that 'the goods were worth £4 11/. Gordon Duncan Clarke, assistant storeman, said that he pocked the goods in question at Farrow's request, and passed them down >the lift to him, Farrow saying he had sold them and would give witness half of what he got. Witness asked no questions, and heard nothing more about it. He did not know for whom the goods were intended. The order was not entered in the books. Harold Skinner, a painter, of Clar-cnee-street, said he received the goods in question from the carter Worms, who lived in the same street, and with whom he had, in a sense, a running account. Hβ paid him between £3 and £4 for the goods, lie never saw Farrow in these transactions, Mr Brabant: Is this man charged himself V Mr Tole: Yes, this is Harold Skinner, concerned in another charge. Mr Martin: I believe you are now on remand, charged with receiving stolen goods? Witness: Yes. Detective Hollas said the two accused admitted taking the goods. He recovered from Skinner a tin of burnt sienna, on which, through a coating of paint, the word "Burns" was faintly visible. Accused reserved their defence, pleaded not gn ; lty, and were committed for trial. THE THIRD CHARGE. Accused were further charged on a third iMormation with stealing, about April 12. a further list of goods valued at £14 10/8. In the evidence Clarke sauted tha-t lie packed this order also for Morpeth, at Farrow's raruest. Other evidence was produced to show that the order was not checked or entered in the books. WilliP.m Henry Morpeth, ironmonger, of Ponsonby, said he never received these goods, nor did he supply them to Skinner. Harold Skinner said he received the roods from Worms, and paid him £5 for the?n. Detective HolHs said Warms admitted getting the goods, and Farrow admitted •that he was "in it." Some of the goods were recovered. Both aroused reserved their defence, pleaded not guilty, and were committed for trial. V URTHER PROC EEDING S.

Farrow was then formally charged and remanded till next Monday for stealing iron goods worth £18 7/4 about December 3, and a grate worth £ 10 during March.

When Mr Martin applied for a renewal of bail, Mr Tole asked that the amount should be increased, and mentioned that the plot appeared to thicken as the trial proceeded. His Worship fixed bail as follows:— Each accused £200, with two other sureties each of £100 each; on the two other charges against Farrow, on remand, bail was fixed at £ 100, with two other sureties of £50 each.