BTEALING A COLLECTION BOX.

Press, Volume LXII, Issue 12571, 14 August 1906, Page 4

BTEALING A COLLECTION BOX.

A JOKB THAT WAS CARRIED TOO TAR. * Collecting-boxes in hotels and other places are no small factors jn producing tho necessary funds ta carry on Nurse Maude's Consumption Camps, and a considerable sum in small coins is collected in thja way from peoplo in sympathy with the crusade against tho white plague. But on Saturday night the inclinations of Stuart O'Neill were apparently anything but philanthropic, and when in the Rotherfield Hotel ho wrenched t\_e small collecting-box, containing 4s 3d, from its position in the passage, and took it away. : Yesterday ho was charged boforo Mr V. G. Day, S.M., with stealing a donation box, and 4s 3d, the property of Daisy Maude. Charles Deal, licensee of the Rotherfield Hotel, stated that about twenty minutes to eight on Saturday evening, when serving in tho bar, he heard a wrench, and going out he found that the accused had pulled the box from the wall. Ho appeared to be drunk at the time, but when arrested later ho sobered us. Detective Bishop said that he arrested tho accused about eight o'clock. Ho was sober at the time, and would not say anything until going to tho police station, when he remarked that he had pulled tho box off the wall for fun. He would not give his name. Witness opened the box and found that it contained 4s 3d. Accused had never been convicted before. Mr Hunt, who appeared for the accused, tendered the defence that the accused was under tho influence of liquor. lie had very respoctable relatives, who had got plenty of money, and there was no necessity for him takins tho box. Accused had boon to ' the races and bad been drinking. Ho j only committed tho act for a lark, and ' did it without thinking. Thomas O'Connell g«ve evidence that i the accused attended the racecourse | with him, and had been drinking j whisky, brandy, and long beers. He . had known him for two years. Dur- ' ing the day accused had asked him for | mone;\ .

Accused's brother gave evidence to tho efJect that the accused had no need to borrow money, or to have stolen the box.

Accused admitted that ho had been under tho influence of drink, and had not known* what ho was doing.

The Magistrate said that th© excuse of being drunk was the sort of one ovoryliody used in every case. He did not see his way clear to let this man off. Ho said ho took this box for fun, but it was no trivial offence. Thi_ box .bad been placed in the hotel for one of the most \vortby charitable objects, and hero a man went and ran away with it. There was an old sayiris that a joko could be carried too fa*r, and in this ca.se he thought it had been. He would inflict a fine of 40s and costs.