SHIP STORES MISSING.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIX, Issue 48, 25 February 1918, Page 4

SHIP STORES MISSING.

A CHARGE OF THEFT. I AND ONE OF RECEIVING. Goods mieeing from the stores of the coastal steamer Awahou laid the foundation of the police charge that John Brumell Donovan, employed at the end of January as steward on this vessel, had stolen" a tin of baking powder and one of pepper, valued in all at 3/6. The case was taken, after many previous remands, in the Police Court this morning before Mr F. V. Frazer, S.M. Donovan pleaded guilty to the theft, but the central figure, in connection with the business was Alli ed Evans (46 ), described as a waterside -worker. He was accused oi rj*.- Giving ihe articles, knowing them to be stolen, and he would not admit this, air W.. Hackett defended both the men, and Chief-Detective McMahon was for the prosecution. Donovan was the first witness called in the case against Evans. He said Evans had come down to him one day at the end of January, and had asked him for some bait for fishing. Witness gave Mm a piece of tainted beef, weighing about three pounds, and put it in the bag Evans had left. He also put there the two tins that formed the basis to the charge, as a sort of recompense, he explained, for work Evans had done for him. Several of the men who had been employed on or about the vessel gave evidence regarding the bag belonging to Evans, and it came out that there were suspicions attached to this grip. One witness said he asked Evans to let him look inside the bag on the day of the incident, but accused had declined. Ten minutes or so after this Evans had opened the bag and pitched the contents over the side of the vessel into the water, and the tins had been rescued. This was not the only time Evans had aroused suspicions. Accused in the box said he had worked On the Auckland waterfront for upwards of 20 years. He had been offered recompense 'by Donovan for help given, but had refused it. He was not sure whether Donovan was free to give him bait, and when a man, stranger to him, asked him to open the bag he refused, but thought he might be getting Donovan into trouble. That was why he went to the side of the ship and opened the bag overboard. Accused was cross-examined stringently by the chief detective, and as a consequence the chief and Mr .Hackett had more than one little breeze. To the chief detective accused said he had not opened the bag to see what was in it, and therefore he did not know about the tins till he saw them fall overboard, j Had he known about them he would never have accepted his bag from Donovan, who, he thought, had put'only the bait in it. He was an ardent fisherman in the intervals; from working. Accused was questioned about his record, but Mr Hackett promptly intervened, and the Court supported him. ' The magistrate reserved his decision over the luncheon adjournment, and this afternoon he pointed out that the circumstances of the case were peculiar. It was strange that the two tins, and also a three-pound piece of roast beef, was put intothe bag without aword between the men. The movements of Evans made several men suspicious. Cold roast beef was not good for bait, and it was strange that it was tainted the day after it was cooked. All the circum- ' stances made Evans' story unconvincing. Donovan, married and with a family, was convicted and admitted to probation, for twelve months with no • special conditions. His Worship did not believe Evans defence, but in view: of circum- ; stances here ho was convicted and placed on probation for one year, with, no specity conditions, and on payment of 2/ expenses. • •