FIVE CHARGES OF RECEIVING

Press, Volume LXXI, Issue 21376, 19 January 1935, Page 3

FIVE CHARGES OF RECEIVING

+ ALLEGATIONS AGAINST CITY HAIRDRESSFR LARGE QUANTITY OF TOBACCO PRODUCED Cigarettes and tobacco of an approximate value of £l7O were produced at the Magistrate's Court yesterday, when Edwin Joseph Fearon, a city hairdresser, of High street, appeared before Mr E. D. Mosley, S.M., to answer five charges of receiving stolen goods. He was represented by Mr F. D. Sargent. Chief-Detective W. H. Dunlop appeared for the police. The following charges were preferred against Fearon: (1) That on or about November 23, 1934, he received from Leslie Pearce tobacco and cigarettes of a total value of £lOl 2s sd, the property of the New Zealand Farmers' Co-operative Association, Ltd. (2) That on or about November 14, at Christchurch, he received from Leslie Pearce a quantity of tobacco and cigarettes of a total value of £2O, the property of Roberts and Tullock. (3) That on or about November 20, at Christchurch, he received from Leslie Pearce a quantity of tobacco and cigarettes of a total value of £22, the property of the Self Help Co-op., Ltd. (4) That on or about December 4, he received from Leslie Pearce a quantity of tobacco and cigarettes of a total value of £7 ss, the property of the New Zealand Farmers' Co-operative Association of Canterbury, Ltd. (5) That on or about November 2 he received from Leslie Pearce a quantity of tobacco and cigarettes, of a total value of £ls 3s 7d, the property of Gordon Alfred Ernest Le Lievre, in each case knowing the goods to have been dishonestly obtained. Shops Broken Into Alexander H. Scott, manager of the grocery department at Rangiora of the New Zealand Farmers' Co-operative Association of Canterbury, Ltd., said that the shop was broken into some time between 9.30 p.m. on November 22 and 7.35 a.m. on November 23, and tobacco and cigarettes valued at £lO5 2s 5d had been stolen. He identified several brands of tobacco in court as being similar to the stolen stock. One package he definitely identified as one stocked by him, through a private marking. James Lawrence Tullock, a member of the firm of Roberts and Tullock in Papanui road, said that at some time between 5.30 p.m. on November 12 and 7.30 a.m. on November 13, the shop was broken into and tobacco and cigarettes valued at £2O stolen. He identified several brands in court. Gordon Alfred Ernest Le Lievre, grocer and general merchandise dealer at Akaroa, stated that his shop was broken into between 12.30 a.m. rnd 8 a.m. on November 2, and tobacco and cigarettes valued at £ls 8s stolen. Godfrey Arthur Brewer, manager of the Self Help Co-op. store in Ferry road, Woolston, said that on the night of November 19 the store was broken into, and tobacco and cigarettes of an estimated value of £22 stolen. Edward Watson Hargraves, in charge of the retailing department of the New Zealand Farmers' Co-operative Association's shop at Leeston, stated that the shop was broken into between 6.30 p.m. on December 3 and 8 a.m. on December 4, and in addition to other goods, tobacco and cigarettes of an

estimated value of £2l 15s 3d were taken. Visit by Detectives Detective J. J. Halcrow said that about 10 a.m. on December 19 he went to the shop of the excused in High street. He was accompanied by Detective A. A. Herron and a constable. He saw the accused in his shop, and told him that he had a warrant to search the place. He explained to him that he had received information that men named Robert James Mitchell and Leslie Pearce had been breaking and entering shops in Canterbury and stealing tobacco and cigarettes, most of which had allegedly been sold to him. He asked Fearon if he knew the men, and he said he did not. He asked the accused if he had ever purchased any tobacco or cigarettes from any man who brought them into his shop. The accused denied this, and said that he had purchased his stock from regular traders only, naming them as several well-known firms. He asked accused where he kept all his stock, and by gesture he indicated that it was all kept in the shop. He was told that all of it could be seen from where he stood. He told the accused that it was alleged that he had purchased the stolen goods for 3d a packet for cigarettes and 9d a tin for tobacco. Large Quantity of Tobacco Witness then went down the cellar by way of a trap-door. He found no cigarettes, but there were a number of empty tins there. He next searched a loft above the front window, to which he gained access with a ladder, and found a number of boxes containing tobacco and cigarettes. These were now in the court-room. Some boxes were entirely free from dust, while others were rather thickly coated. Many of the tins and packets were damaged to some degree, the tins being dented, and the paper wrappings in a number of cases being torn. He asked the accused, "What about this stuff?" and he received no reply. The boxes and tins were removed to the police station. On one box he found tacked on cards advertising the "Lucky for Me" art union. The art union was to close on November 24, 1934, and to be drawn on December 11, 1934. Across the card was pasted a label reading "Closing this week," and across this was another label reading "Closing tomorrow." The notice would indicate that it had not been there before November 23. The contents of the shop were removed to the police station the same day. continued Detective Halcrow, but a large quantity of this was subsequently returned to the shop after enquiries had been made. The remainder was produced in court. After the arrest of the accused he searched all his invoices and he could not find any record of purchase by accused of several lines of tobacco and cigarettes found on his property. Detective Herron gave evidence that he accompanied Detective Halcrow on December 19, and was present when the accused was interviewed. He assisted in searching the shop and in removing the stock. The corroborated the evidence of the previous witness. Evidence of Supplier Leslie Pearce, at present on remand on a charge of breaking and entering with theft, said that he had known a man named Mitchell for a number of years. He remembered visiting Rangiora and stealing tobacco and cigarettes from the New Zealand Farmers' Co-op. Association's store. To get there they had stolen a motor-car. After stealing, the tobacco they had taken it to 151 Salisbury street where he was living at the time. Between then and the other robberies he had visited the accused in his shop with a letter of introduction, and asked him if he would take the tobacco. He had talked it over and said he would consider it. Finally he agreed. Witness gave him to understand that the goods were stolen, and he agreed to take them at 3d a Dacket for cigarettes and 9d for two-ounce tins of tobacco. It was decided that the tobacco should be taken to the shop be-

tween 7.45 a.m. and 8 a.m. when there was no one about. Several Quantities Bought Pearce admitted breaking and entering a shop at Akaroa. After the robbery he said the goods were sorted out and a list taken. The tobacco and cigarettes were packed in suitcases and delivered by taxi, which was dismissed at the White Hart Hotel, next door to the shop. The bags were taken to the shop when a suitable opportunity came. The value of the tobacco stolen at Rangiora was between £9O and £IOO, and this was paid for in the bottle department of the White Hart Hotel. A similar procedure was followed in the case of the raid on the shop of Roberts and Tulloch. The goods were taken to accused's shop and he received between £9 and After the raid on the Self Help store, the tobacco was taken to 303 Armagh street as Mitchell had shifted to that address. This was later taken to the shop, and about £lO was received. On the occasion of the Leeston theft, Mitchell and witness stole another car from Hereford street. They stole tobacco of an approximate value of £lB to £2O. and proceeded to 303 Armagh street. It was counted out and listed, and taken to the accused in the dinner hour the following day. This time Fearon would take only a third of the stolen, goods, as he stated that he was nearly stocked out. Witness received between £3 and £4 at the bottle department of the White Hart Hotel. At this stage the court rose, and the case was adjourned until next Frii day.