“A LOAFER AND A THIEF”

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 249, 15 July 1921, Page 5

“A LOAFER AND A THIEF”

THEFT FROM A BILLIARD SALOON Cyrus Charles Hutton, a. young man for whom Mr. C. A. L. Treadwell appeared, was charged in the Magistrate’s Court yesterday before Mr. F. K. Hunt, S.M., with the theft of 295. in money, the property of Henry T. Martis. SubInspector Willis said that the evidence he had to offer was purely circumstantial. Charles W. Russell said he was employed at Victoria Buildings. Accused was in the billiard saloon there on Juno 29 from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.; he came back within half an hour and said that he had not had a bite, and witness gave him a shilling. He went away and returned soon afterwards, and was in the saloon until closing time, when he was requested to leave. Dtiriflg the day the accused was asleep in the saloon, and when he was rous<xl, Mr. Martis, the proprietor, called his attention to a glove which he had dropped on the floor. Witness went out about 11.15 p.m. and was not away more than five minutes, but when bo returned the outer door was locked. Ho had left it unlocked. When he got inside, after climbing a verandah post, he discovered that the cupboard in tho saloon had beer, prised open and about 295. or 30s. stolen. Alongside the cupboard on a table witness found a glove, which was similar to the gloves owned bv the accused. To Mr. Treadwell: The dny prior to the theft the accused asked witness what was kept in the cupboard. When told, he said it was easy to open a lock without a key. but time was needed for it. Henrv' T. Martis, proprietor of the Victoria Billiard Saloon, gave corroborative evidence, and said that the accused had been frequenting the saloon for two or three weeks prior to Juno 29. Mr. Treadwell contended that the evidence was not strong enough to convict, but the Magistrate said that there wn«s a raise to answer. The accused preferred to make a statement to going into the witness-box. He said that he wns ent of work in Timnrn nnd came on to Wellington. He tried to get work, but without success, and ho helped a friend of his who had n iob canvassing from house to house. We denied stealing the money. We often hung his coat in the curtained recess, nnd he admitted that the glove found none the ennboard belonged to him. The Magistrate said that tho story told hr tho irrose-enfion on oath had not beon contradicted, nnd ho believed that rtory. Turning to the snb-inspootor. tho Magistrate said: "What do yon know about him ?” Snb-Tnspoetor: We is n loafer and a thief.

The Magistrate: One month’s hard labour. Tt transpired that Hutton was an old offender, and had had two terms of reformative treatment.