A RACEGOER'S MISTAKE.

Clutha Leader, Volume XXXIX, Issue 33, 26 November 1912, Page 3

A RACEGOER'S MISTAKE.

In the Magistrate's Court at Christ church on Wednesday two middle-aged men, named William Ware and William George Blair, were charged that on November 6 they did attempt to steal the sum of £54 os, the property ot George Jones. Mr A. E. \V. Bishop appeared for the accused, and Chief Detective Bishop conducted the case lor the prosecution. George Sevicke Jones, an optician, said that on November 6 be attended the races at lliccarton. The Canterbury Cup was run that al'torioon, and he purchased 10 single tickets i"i Mo. 2 horse, Goldfinder. Goldfinder won and paid £5 8s Gd re a t'l ticket. Immediately after, standing nei'.r the tctalisator, he tore the in half and threw them on the ground. Some 20 minutes afterwards he discovered his mistake, but on walking back he found that the tickets had gone. He informed the secretary of the Jockey Club of the matter, and also the man in charge of the "tote." To Mr Bishop: He went regularly to the races, and called himself an experienced racegoer. He attributed his action in tearing up the tickets to pure carelessness. There was nothing on the tickets by which he could identify them. It was a practice with some people to look for tickets. Norman Strange, commission agent, said that on November 6 he was employed on the "tote" at the Riccarton races. He remembered Mr Jones purchasing from him 10 consecutive tickets on Goldfinder. Before the next race, Mr Jones informed him that he had torn the tickets by mistake and asked him to report the matter. To Mr Bishop: He would not swea' t'at the tickets in court were those he had sold to Mr Jones. W'illiam Henry Wanklyu, secrelarv of the Canterbury Jockey Club, produced the note handed to him bv Mr Jones on Canterbury Cup Day. It w.ia general instruction to the vtaff not to pay on "tote" tickets mat were torn. It was the custom to pay on these afterwards at the office, when the returns came in showing what was >ut' stai ding. In the Canterbury Cup there n ere 10 tickets outstanding on Gold i firicier. Blair came on more tl.-i'i -jne occasion to the office in town to collect on. tickets on Goldfinder. To Mr Bishop: He had verem-d thousands of complaints in regard to lost tickets. "What would you do if jju found r. lost ticket?" —'"'I would take it to the office." | Detective Snow said that, in company'with Acting-Detective Ik'gin, i.o had asked the accused Blair whare he secured the tickets on Goliliu'le". Blair said that his friend, Mr Ware, •Wad bought them on the "tote" at 'tticcarton, and that he himself had • bought seven on Vice-Admiral, and ■that he was interested in the dividend, itorn up in mistake for those on VioeAdmiral. He subsequently admitted finding some of the tickets on the lawn. Later on Ware, when asked how he came into possession of the tickets, said that it was his business, and then .admitted that lie found them on the lawn. ,< ■■:• Acting-Detective Regan corroborated the evidence of Detective Snow. This concluded the case for the prosecution. The accused pleaded not guilty, re-serv-ed their defence, and were committed for'triar fct the Supreme tail busc «lteiw4 » wwWb «f ififiQ.