OLD CRIMINAL.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 58, 9 March 1935, Page 4 (Supplement)

OLD CRIMINAL.

BRAIN BEHIND THEFTS

MAIL-BAG ROBBERIES

A man of 79, stated by a detective inspector to have been regarded by the polict; for many years as the "brain" behind many mail-bag robberies and big cases of warehouse safe breaking, was sentenced to 15 months' hard labour at the London Sessions.

"He has done no work that I can trace for the past 30 years/' said the inspector. ••When questioned, he replied: .'I am a soldier of fortune.' "

The man was John Brown, described as an engineer. He pleaded guilty with Henry Myers, aged Co, a traveller, who was sentenced to live years' penal servitude, and Frank Jayes, aged 65, warehouseman, who was sentenced to 15 mouths' hard labour, to breaking and entering a Rochester Row. Westminster, warehouse and stealing 40,750 cigarettes and 150 cigars. Detective Inspector Dance said that Brown had not been convicted in this country, to which ho returned from the United States 30 years ago. In New York ho was sentenced to four years' and later to ten years' imprisonment for burglary, and nt Boston to one year for vagrancy.

With Clevor Criminals. "Despite the fact that he has not been previously convicted in this country," continued the inspector, "he has been under observation by the police for months on end. Ten years ago I followed him daily for many weeks, and during that time saw him associate with some of the cleverest criminals operating in England at that time.

"He has been an associate of Myers for the past 20 years. In 1022 he was suspected of being concerned with others in the theft of jewellery valued at £12,000." In reply to Mr. E. H. Butcher, defending, Inspector Dance said he was not aware that Brown had u sister, a Mrs. Robertson, who was the wife of a NewYork millionaire, and had been in receipt of £10 a month from her until nine months ago. He agreed that the police had never had sufficient evidence on which to convict Brown. "He has been too clever, and has kept out of harm's way," he said.

Sir Percival Clarke, the chairman, commended the work of four police ofliccrs which led to the arrest of the trio.