A “STRONG MAN”

Dominion, Volume 23, Issue 128, 24 February 1930, Page 8

A “STRONG MAN”

AMERICAN IN TROUBLE.. “This man has been observed by the police' during, the past two or three weeks representing himself as a strong man with a piece of rope, inviting people to tie him up so that he could show his skill and strength in escaping.” said Chief-Detective Lopdell when Jack Ed* ward Owen, aged 36, admitted a charge of vagrancy in the Magistrate’s Court on Saturday. “He appears to have any amount of strength, but he does not apply it to honest work.” The chief detective said that accused had been warned more than once by constables to get off the streets and do some work. He had also been observed hanging around hotel entrances. He ■ stated that he was an American. A business man alleged that accused approached him and asked for sufficient money to take him to Petonc. However, accused was told that if he were as fit and strong as he made out he was, he should he able to walk the distance. YVith that accused had become particularly abusive in front of a' woman customer.

Accused said that he could not find work in the city with so much unemployment. He had been promised a nosition at Blenheim, and he would leave Wellington at once if he were givCn the chance. “Work is very scarce here at present,” he added. “The man must get away to work, said the Magistrate (Mr. E. Page), He convicted accused and ordered nun . to come up for wntence if called upon within a yea#.