STOLEN GOODS

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 138, 13 June 1929, Page 9

STOLEN GOODS

FOUND IN TURUA HOUSE.

THEFT CHARGE HEARD.

NEW TRIAL ORDERED,

(By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.)

HAMILTON, this day.

One corner of the. Supreme Court yesterday afternoon resembled a secondhand * store. It was piled with an odd assortment of furniture, hooks and otier goods, alleged proceeds of theft. ° The person charged with the theft was a man named Valdemar Knight Vail, a sharemilker, of Hauraki Road, Turua The thefts were allegedly committed at the house of a surveyor of Morrmsville named James Reid Stewart, December, 1925, and December, lD2b. The stolen articles included a reel plush sofa, a writing desk and shelves a bookcase, a large number of book?, including one entitled "No More Lawyers Bills," an eight-day clock, mathematical instr'umentsrehairs and magazines. James Reid Stewart, surveyor, identified the goods as his. Constable C. H. Clifford said that on February 12 he executed a search of Vail's house at Turua. Vail said he had been "expecting a visit for some time." Witness questioned him about the various articles. Some he said he had bought from a man named Young. The eight - day clock, he said, he had got from his mother as a keepsake. In a written statement, later, prisoner said he bought the books and bookcases from one Thomas Young for 30/. Some of the other articles were left in the house which he took over at Morrinsville from one Lew Hamilton.

In answer to Mr. Gillies, Crown Prosecutor', witness said inquiries had been made for Hamilton, who was believed to be in Australia.

Thomas Charles Young, a prospector at Waiorongomai, admitted in answer to the Crown Solicitor that he had served a sentence of two months' for theft of some clothes. He never sold anything to Vail, and had never seen the articles produced until they were shown him in the lower court.

In opening for the defence, Mr. Garland said that Vail, on first going to Morrinsville, went to reside at the house of Mrs. Markley, in Moorehouse Street. Living there at the time, also, was a man named Lew Hamilton. Vail eventually married a daughter of Mrs. Markley. Independent evidence would be brought to show that before Vail went to live at the Markley's the red plush sofa and the eight-day clock wove in the Markley's house. When Mr?. Markley left Hamilton the sofa and the clock were left in the house.

Evidence to this effect was given by Victoria Mary Vail, wife of the prisoner, and by Robert Edward Bell, herd tester, of Coromandel.

Prisoner, in evidence, said he bought a number of books and bookcases from Young. He denied that he told the constable he also bought the sofa, and that his mother gave him the clock.'

The jury failed to agree, and a, new trial was ordered. ••■•••