A REAL LEAH KLESCHNA.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 54, 27 November 1907, Page 5

A REAL LEAH KLESCHNA.

An interesting narrativo concerning a master mind in crimo was told at the Clerks enwell Sessions when John Hartman, John Harris, nnd Theodore Baker pleaded guilty, and Alfred Charles Smith, sixty-live, was found guilty of burglary.

According to tho evidence, Smith ingratiated himself with a youth named Timmins, eighteen, who was employed as cellarman at the premises of the Dry Wine Company, Gieat Portland Street, Yi'., and after making discreet inquiries about the money in the s'afe, induced Timmins to take impressions of the keys. , .

Timmins took the impressions on acandlo, and Hartman,' under Smith's superintendence, mado two keys. All, except Timmins, were then engaged in a raid on the premises. They overturned the safe and had ripped off tho back when they were disturbed. Timmins mado a confession, and was released to give ovidonce.

DetcctivorSergeant Seymour proved that Smith had been many times convicted since 1862. His last conviction—in 1903—took placo under theso circumstances: His daughter, a very respectable girl, went into service, and thero Smith visited her and led hei a terrible life, until in the ond he forced her to steal her mistress's jewel ease and hand it over to him. (This recalls the story of tho play, "Leah Kleschna.") Detective-Inspector Symmons said lie doubted whether his_ lordship had dealt with a more hardened criminal than Smith, who had onginoered this plot: Baker had hither-' erto, been a lad of, the highest character, and it was a significant fact that a robbery was committed in precisely the same wiiy a' s the present one at the premises of Baker's employers. Tho witness said that when a man was so despicable as to descend so low as to incito his own children to crime ho had said the worst that could be said of anybody.

Mr. Robert Wallace, K.C., said Smith had especially sought out youths and associated with them to lead them into crime. Ho was a danger to society, and he would be kept in penal servitude tor seven years. Hartman was ordered three years' penal servitude, and Harris twelve months' hard labour. Baker was remanded in order that something might be doije to retrieve him .fiom crime. . ' . t ...