TRAIL OF CRIME.

Auckland Star, Volume LXV, Issue 142, 18 June 1934, Page 9

TRAIL OF CRIME.

CHASE IN WAIKATO. MORTON'S FULL CONFESSION. TIR.AU ASSAULT CHARGE. (By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.) HAMILTON, this day. The amazing series of crimes which were allegedly committed by two young men in tho Waikato on the night of May 21 had a sequel in the Police , Court to-day, when one of the men involved, George Edward Morton, aged 21, pleaded guilty before Mr. S. L. Paterson, S.M., to all charges. On charges of doing bodily harm to Francis Rose, storekeeper, of Tirau breaking, entering and theft at the shop of Samuel John Bear, butcher, of Thau and breaking, entering and theft at the shop of Bert Settle, of Hinuera, accused was committed to the Supreme Court in Auckland for sentence. For converting a car belonging to Emily Hancock to his own use at Hinuera, accused was sentenced to three months' hard labour,, the sentence to be cumulative with a similar sentence for stealing an overcoat belonging to Owen Coven, of Okoroirc. He was further sentenced to one month for the conversion of a bicycle, the property of Owen Cowen, at Okoroire, this to be concurrent with the- previous sentences. On charges of stealing a quantity of benzine from Clifford George Mayes, at Waharoa, wilfully damaging a benzine bowser lock at Matamata, and attempting to convert to his own use a motor car belonging to Rose Anne Cowen, at. Okoroire, Morton was convicted and discharged. He was further convicted for the dangerous driving of a car and prohibited from holding a license for three years. In a lengthy confession, accused said he and another man left Hamilton on the evening of May 21 and embarked on a long series of crimes. At Tirau they removed a steel and butcher's cleaver from Mr. Bear's shop, and when surprised by Mr. Rose, while attempting to remove his car from his garage, they assaulted him, the other man using the steel and inflicting wounds on Mr. Rose. They then broke into a garage on the Tirau-Okoroiro. Road, removed a ear. and committed a burglary at Hinuera. Filling up the tank with benzine from a bowser which they forced at Waharoa. they returned to Hamilton. Later, accused left in a stolen car for Tirau and was chased by police and caught. Referring to a summary of the charges, Detective A. J. White said Morton had several previous convictions, and was released from a Borstal institution in October laet. Since then he had been working industriously until he became associated with the other man, who was under arrest and would be charged next Thursday.