SUPREME COURT.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVII, Issue 207, 30 August 1916, Page 2

SUPREME COURT.

CHARGES OF THEFT. THREE MEN AOQDTTTED. The trial of the three young men, Richard Jones (Mr. W. D. Anderson), Reginald Skupeon (Mr. J. R Lundon), and. Archibald Hunter (Mr. R. W. McCon_ell),. on a charge of stealing £13 2/3 from two cash registers in the private bar of the Albert Hotel, was concluded last evening before Mr. Justice Hosting; Mr. H. H. Ostler appeared for the Crown. The prosecution alleged that the three men and one other booked rooms in tbe hotel late one evening, under falsa names, that after they had been by themselves in the private bar for a period of 10 minutes or so a serious deficiency was disccrvered in both the cash registers in the bar, and that three of the four men left the hotel without using the rooms they, had booked, their conduct in endeavouring to get awa> from Auckland at onre being calculated ' to increase the suspicion of their guilt. The accused Jones and Hunter, giving : evidence on their own behalf, admitted being in the hotel, but denied that they ' booked rooms, or that they were in the ] private bar at the times alleged by the ' licensee in his evidence. They denied any knowledge of the theft, and any 1 guilty intention in attempting to leave ' Auckland so soon. 1 Counsel addressed the jury at some ' length, and urged vn particular that ' owing to the large number of people ' coming and going in the hotel, any cvi- ' dence as to the periods during which the ' accused were in the oar could not be ' greatly relied on, and at most could only ! indicate that tbe accused bad an oppor- ' tunity to steal the money. The exist- { ersee of such an opportunity did not pcoye the guilt of the accused. ' Simpson also addressed the jury from ' the dock, and after his Honor had summed up at length the jury retired at * 6.30 p-m., returning after au hour-and aquarter with a verdict of "Xot guilty." ' The accused were accordingly dig- 8 charged. " ' SERIOUS CHARGES. t A young man named Xorman Selwyn s Conolly, for whom Mr. W. E. Hackett I appeared, was brought up this morning c on a charge of attempted rape at Thrre J Kings. The jury had not returned at • the time of going to press. I WWhun Mills, a man of about 35, *ho t •was defended by Mr. W. Olipbant, was * charged with committing rape at Hen- f dereon in March last upon a girl of 13. ' and, alternatively with attempted rape, unlawful carnal knowledge, and at- l tempted unlawful carnal (knowledge. < The case is proceeding. c —— <