TRAMWAY CLERK IN TROUBLE.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 12851, 9 July 1907, Page 8

TRAMWAY CLERK IN TROUBLE.

A'CHARGE OF STEALING THE BOARDS MONEY.

Robert Henry Woodhouse was charged at tho Court yesterday morning, before .Messrs W. H. tiargreaves and C. H. Winny, J.P.s, with having, on or about June 22nd, stolen £122 lis 7d from 'the Christchurch Tramway Hoard. Mr Russell appeared for tho prosecution, and Mr Cassidy for the accused. Frank 'Ihompson, secretary to the Christchurch tramway Board, said that ho knew the accused, who had been in the employ of the Board since they took over control of the system. He was in the Falsgrave street oiiice, and was traffic returns clerk, receiving about £135 a year. There was a clerk named Sladen in the office, and Woodhouse wits employed -at the same desk. Sludcn iiad been timekeeper, and two of the Hoard's journals were under his supervision. Sladen also had to look after a small construction paysheet. On June* 1:1 st last it was the duty of .SI .den t.: cash a cheque for the wages of iho men who were engaged on the construction. On the LL'iici of June a loss of money was reported. Witness had several conversations in regard to the loss with accused, one in particular be;ng about a man named East. Accused stated that he had met him in company with another young man named Lewis in front of Messrs Whitcombe and'Tombs's shop. While talking there, one of W hitcombe's salesmen beckoned to East, but he was reluctant to go to him. Subsequently he went. Woodhou«c said that Lewis remarked to him, "That is one of East's creditors." The accused told witness that ho resumed the conversation next morning, and East said that Whitcombe's salesman wanted to put him on to a good thing. He said if he had £30 he could about double the money, and Woodhouse asked him how. East said that it was in connection with a stamp deal, and the stamps were on the water. He then asked East what security and interest he would givo if he lent him the money, and East said he would have the stamps. Woodhouse after detailing the conversation said. "I had not got tho money anyhow/ This conversation occurred on the Wednesday or Thursday after tho theft. To Mr Cassidy: AYoodliousc was working in the receiving office previous to the theft. He had seen every cleric in the office nbout this matter, and he asked them questions about one another on behalf of the Board. He made no written note of the conversations. The money wns missed on the 22nd of June, and the information was laid on June 20th. Accused had been previously with the old company, and had been with the Board since May, 15)05. Witness had introduced East's name in a previous conversation. Irvine W. Sbden, n clerk in tho em- { ploy of tho Tramway Board, said that" he "cashed a cheque for the Board on Friday. Juno 21st, for £133 7s 7d. There' were 114 sovereigns. 12 halfsovereigns, £13 7s 3d in silver, and four coppers. He re-counted th© money when he arrived at 'the offico, nnd put it in envelopes for each man engaged on a construction work. That was not the ordinary wage sheet. Tim was v. small amount of the wages. Ho had paid ono man £3 ls, and gove the accountant £8 for money he had already paid to workmen. Ho pi id away seven sovereigns, and had 107 (sovereigns left. life expected the men to com© in ,for their wages on Saturday morning. That was th© reason ho mode up their wages on Friday. After he had counted it into envelopes he put it a wot in his drawer in the meantime. His duty was to hand over tho money to tho man in the receiving office at 5 o'clock, or else lock it up in the safe. Tho secretary had one key and tho accountant tho other. Ho forgot about the money that night «nd left it in his drawer. Ho left the offico at 5 o'clock, leaving Mr Jnrman.and accused in tne office. Tho last time ho saw the money was in the drawer at 4.15 p.m., on Juno 21st. Between this timo and 5 p.m. he left tho offico to visit other parts of tho building. Woodhouse had been working In tho general office where witness was during the afternoon between 4 o'clock and 5 o'clock on June 21st. Witness could not say whether tho accused was present when ho paid a workman. Everyono on tho staff knew that witness cashed tho cheque, and Woodhouse knew that he cashed a cheque on Fridays, as he need to occupy witness's position previously, tie twitness) niished the money when he went down to work next morning, ancl had 6cen nothing of the money since.

To Mr Cassidy.- Ho could not say positively that Woodhouso knew th© nionev was in that particular drawer, but he knew that the construction gang were to be paid either on Frid.iy or on Saturday morning. The cheque had been cached on Saturday mornings previously. tledley Jarman stated that it was part of Slcden's duty to cash a cheque tor tho construction works. Woodhouso previously had charge of this work. This was only a very small amount compared to tlio larger puy sheet, which was not entrusted to a junior, no (witness) generally doing this work himself. It was quite a proper thing for .Sladen to put th© money in his drawer, as the men might bo in at any time. Ho could have put it in the strong room. Sladen left at 5 o'clock, and ho and Woodhouso remained. \\ uness left Woodhouse in the offico by himself for about two minutes. As he was going out he called to Woodhouse to lock the safe, and on his return Woodhouse gave him his keys, and a little while after Woodhouse left. Witness did not remember having a conversation as to saving his money. He remembered telling him that a good investment for his money was property. Witness had in his mind at that time tho money which he understood Woodhouse was to inherit when he became of age, under his father's will. He never informed witness lie had money saved up. Ho could have seen that the money was not there* when he went to the safe. He did not look on the shelf the night before for th© money, and could not swear if it was there or not.

J. Sherwin said that ho had a conversation regarding booki with thcaccused, who said that ho had just finished a detective story entitled, '•The World of Crimo," which contained the adventures of a French detective H© went on, and said that it would be easy to take money from the Tramway Board's oflice. Ho detailed a plan by means of which the money could be taken. Ho said that the best plan would bo to turn out the lights in the corridor, and when tlie receiver went out to se© about the lights, to slip in and hid© in th© secretary's office, and extract the money from th© small safe in the receiver's room. The person taking th© money would have to be careful not to leave any finger prints, and in order to prevent detection by that means he should wear gloves and also golo*-hes. He said that the police obtained their clues by the offenders confessing, but he would never confess if he did such a deed, and the police would not think of suspecting him. As witness left the accused, he said, ''Well, if anything of th© kind happens down below. I'll know whom to put it down to." The accused replied "Yes." To Mr Cassidy: The conversation took place outside a shop on June loth. He did not tell anyone at the time because he had not thought that the accused was serious, and looked upon the whole matter as absurd.

Harold Sherwin. a Irookseller's assistant, said that he met th© accused Inst week. Woodhouse asked for his brother's address, and said that he

wished to see him. , He asked witness not to mention the fact of his visit, and said that he thought # he coifld clear himself. Mr Cassidy did not cross-examine. Detectives Kennedy and Eade gave evidence as to arresting the accused. He was token to the Police Station, where he was asked abont the money. Accused said he had £2 18s 6d on him. but he had some £78 at home, which h- had saved from his wages. I*nter accused produced a tin containing 73 sovereigns from his hip pocket, nnd said he had just remembered it when in the diningroom. This was producid. Accused made a written statement +(* that effect, and said that the cleposi tion was correct in every particular Accused inforned the detectives that his aunt and cousins would tell them that he had a large sum cf money at home, but when Detective Kennedy visited them they only laughed, and said that the only money he had was on pay days, and that would be about £3. On searching his room Detective Fade found a tin containing 20 coins (produced). Both detectives denied thit they had used the word.* "booby hutrh" to ac-c»*si-d. Detective Eade said that "he had s-'-id to the -iceused that the Board wanted their money, and did not want to harass him. 'lhcy did not use tlie words "Ihe Trumw-y B. ard don't want your blood " Accused was detained by them from 10 o'clock till 3 o'clock in the afternoon of June 2i)th, though j.e vss ixt -nituclly under arrest all that time. r.. The accused pleaded "Not guilty. •Mid reserved his defence, and was committed for ti tai. Bail wns allowed.