AMMONIA SPRAYS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 66, 19 March 1938, Page 10

AMMONIA SPRAYS.

POLICE ALLEGATIONS. FOUND IN TWO COATS. THEFT CHARGES FOLLOW. When Detective-Sergeant C. Sparks, of Scotland Yard, went to a house in Harlesden Gardens, London, he found two motoring coats hanging behind a door. In a pocket of each coat he found a spray that was filled with ammonia. He described his discovery when giving evidence at Wille«<len Police Court, and he produced two ammonia-filled sprays and some skeleton keys. In the dock, on remand, were three men accused of being concerned together in stealing or receiving imitation jewels worth £2, belonging to the Marchioness of Headfort, and jewellery worth £9.> belonging to Miss Dorothy Pearson, who had stayed at the marchioness' house. The accused men were Lewis Abrahams, aged 79, table decorator; Jack Barr, aged 30, engineer; George Arthur Coates. aged 27, engineer. Saw Machinery. Detective-Sergeant Sparks said that after visiting a house in Harlesden Gardens he went with Barr to a workshop on the first floor of a garage. There he saw machinery, including a lathe, in which a key was being cut. He also saw a metal-cutting machine. Barr, the officer alleged, said: '"That's one of our tools. We made it up. You will find plenty, of tools here. You have no right to search this place. Mr. Watt, our employer, will tell you all about this place." Then the officer told how he found the ammonia sprays. Mr. Edgar Hisoocks, defending, said that the three men had been under arrest for a month, and they had a complete answer to the matter. That was the first time anything had been said about ammonia squirts, and he asked the Court to ignore it completely. The three men were again remanded; only Abrahams was allowed bail. Coates, whose two-months-old baby has been seriously ill, was allowed to see his 17-year-old wife.