WATCH AND MONEY STOLEN.

Press, Volume LXV, Issue 19675, 19 July 1929, Page 3

WATCH AND MONEY STOLEN.

ROBBERY WITH VIOLENCE ALLEGED. MAN COMMITTED FOR TRIAL. A charge of robbery with personal violence vrai preferred against John Henry Pereival Hagarty, aged 28 yeara, of Cnristehurch, in the Lower Court, before Mr E. C. Levrey, S.M., yesterday morning, and after evidence had been heard he pleaded not guilty and waa committed to the Supreme Court for trial. I Mr E. S. Bowie appeared for j Hagarty. The actual charge waa a* ] follows: "That John Henry Pereival Hagarty, at Christchurch, on July sth, 1929, did rob David Hamilton Weir Curry of a watch and chain valued at £l7 10a and £3 in money, and that immediately before he did use personal violence towards Curry." Chief-Detective J. Carroll said that Currv was an Akaroa farmer. On July 4th he came to the City, and while out for a walk with a friend on the evening of July sth was struck on the head and rendered unconscious, and robbed of goods and money. The next night the accused waa arrested for drunkenness, and the watch and chain were found in his possession. I David Hami'ton Weir Curry, farmer, I of Akaroa, said that on Juiy 4th he visited Christehureh for health reasons, staying with a relative in Chester street. On July sth he was in town all day, and in the evening at about 6 o'clock went for a walk with a friend. It was dark. Suddenly he felt a thud on the back of the head and remembered nothing more. On regaining his senses he found that his watch and chain were missing, also £.3 in money, a pocket-book, papers, and two brooches. The watch and ehain were valued at £l7 Ids. His initials had been on the wateh, but they were fled off after it waa stolen. Chased by Constable. Constable F. G. Heywood said that on July 6th he waa on duty in Caahel street at 11.55 pjn. and arrestee the accused on a charge of drunkenness. on the way to the police station, just over the Caahel street bridge, the I accused made a sudden turn and ran back over the bridge and round Oxford terrace towards Hereford street. Witness was gaining on him when the accused tripped. He got up and jumped into the river. He crossed to the other side and discarded his overcoat. He ran along the river bank, and. just below the Hereford street bridge, the accused appeared to throw something into the river. Witness secured him, and on entering the police station accused attempted to throw away the wateh and ehain. Witness prevented him, and the accused claimed the goods as his property. Constable James MeClung said that on July 7th he interviewed the accused regarding the wateu and chain, when he made a statement to the effect that the watch, chain, sovereign ease, and half-sovereign were his property, an>l he had bought them from a man in Dunedin. Accused made a further statement, asking witness to destroy the first. In his second statement he said that he met a man in town and offered him a drink. The man dropped a watch, chain, and sovereign case. Accused picket! them up, and he in- ; tended to keep them. He was bordering on drunkenness, hut realised next i morning that he should not have kept i the soodr. I Hagarty pleaded not giii'ty arid *ai I committed to the Supreme Court for trial.