HOUSE BREAKING

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 56, 29 November 1917, Page 6

HOUSE BREAKING

CASES IN THE CITY

TWO MEN CHARGED

ONE AN ESCAPEE FROM CAMP

Several charges of breaking and entering Wellington dwellings wero heard in tho Magistrate's Court yesterday by Mr. S. E. M'Carthy, S.M. Both accused pleaded guilty, and one of them, a soldier, told a rather strange story of an escape from camp. Robert Dickson Warden was charged with having broken and entered tho dwelling of Peter Levy, Northland, and stolen jewellery valued at £22 ss. and with having broken and entered tho dwelling of William Riddle, Berhampore, and stolen jewellery and money valued at £53 2s.

Peter Levy, a railway storeman, who resides at 18 Farm Road, Northland, deposed to having missed from his house tho articles mentioned in the charge. An examination of the premises indicated that someone, probably wearing gloves, had entered by a back window. The articles stolen had been taken from unlocked drawers, etc., and another drawer had been forced open with a pair of scissors. Plain-clothes Constable Burnett stated that on November 15 he recovered the missing jewellery from two secondhand dealers' shops. These second'liand dealers identified the accused as the man who sold them the jewellery. Witness produced a document which he said was a voluntary statement by tho accused to the effect that he had entered the house by a back window, taken several articles, and sold them at second-hand shops for £1 4s. William Riddle, electrician, _ of 22 Herald Street, Berhampore, said that on November 16 his house was entered by way of the bathroom window, and jewellery and money, worth over £50, stolen. The property produced in the Court was his, and the money had been recovered.

Plain-clothes Constable Black stated that on November 16 he found the accused in a second-hand shop in Taranaki Street trying to sell a diamond ring. He took him to the Tnranaki Street police station and found other articles on him. On tho following day Warden stated voluntarily that lie had taken the articles from tho house, and that he intended pleading gmlty to the charge. Warden pleaded guilty, and was committed to the Supreme Court for sentence. ■ William Seymour Eaton was charged with having on November 13 broken and entered tho dwelling of Frank Ernest Reading, Tinakori Road, and stolen goods valued at £18 3s. He was also charged with having broken nnd entered the house of John William M'Lean, 112 Abel Smith Street on November 15, and stolen a gold watch and chain valued at £5. The wife of a second-hand dealer stated that some of the goods produced in Court had been sold to her by accused, who gave his name as Neilson, said that he lived in Tory Street, and waa an actor. Accused: Was I under the influence of liquor? Witness: Yes. Frank Enipst Heading, tea expert, residins at 32 Tinakori Roml, said that on" November 13 the fnmTTv retired for the night at about 0 o'clock. Next morning he found that the pheo had been entered. Among the things interfered with was the whisky decanter. A variety of articles and some money were missing.\ John William M'Lean, corporation labourer, said that when ho returned to his house from work on November 15 ho found accused there. Mrs. B. Davies, of 7 Ingestro Place, said that a man came to, her house on the evening of November 15 and asked for a drink of water. _ : He said that ho was a returned soldier, and added something to the effect that red caps were after him. She felt sorry for him. and took him in, and gave him a meal. Before leaving he offered one of her daughters a chain, but the girl refused it. Afterwards it was found on tho dresser. She could not swear that accused was tbe man.

Accused: I must admit that I am the man. I left the chain on the dresser. I had no money to pay, and I left it of my own free will for their kindness in giving me a feed. I was half-stupid with drink at tho time. Detective-Sergeant Andrews swore that accused had made a statement .in which he admitted tho charge concerning M'Lean's house. Also, he stated that some other property had been taken by him from beneath flie pillow of a man who was asleep. This concluded the evidence, and Eaton was asked if ho wished to say anything. Eaton: "I wish to say, sir, that I have been in camp for some time._ I have held tho rank of dorporal twice. I.was three days ovorduc. and I was sentenced to 166 days' detention. I took my uniform off in the clink, and put on my civilian clothes; after having written to tho camp sergeantmajor, telling him that I was not a deserter, and that I had sacrificed my wife, my home, and everything for the cause, and voluntarily enlisted, so as to belt) to brine; the war to a speody end. I received no answer to my letter, and, being a little hot-bended, I suppose, I made my escape, with two others, on a Sunday night. Wo walked into Wellington, and I have been continuously hunted by the red caps and the police ever since. I saw the silverware under this chap's bed—l was drunk at the time—l thought that if I stole it I would he sentenced by the civil power, and the military authorities could not touch mo, and I would get my discharge. Being sober now) I realise my mistake, but am prepared to go to gaol and'do my time, like a man. lam not guilty on the first charge." Eaton subsequently pleaded guilty to both charges, and was committed to tho Supreme Court for sentence.