TWO BIG BOBBERIES,

Evening Post, Volume LXXVII, Issue 108, 8 May 1909, Page 5

TWO BIG BOBBERIES,

HEMINGWAY AGAIN ACCUSED PLEADS GUILTY AND IS COMMITTED FOR TRIAL. As a resnlt of the researches of th< Finger-print Department of the loca detective staff, James Hemingway charged with the G.P.O. robbery, agaii appeared in the Magistrate's Court thii morning, before Mr. W. G. Riddell S.M. This time he is charged with (1 breaking and entering the premises o the Government Printing Office by nigh between the 14th and the 15th Decem ber, 1906, and stealing therefrom 59J one pound sheets of one penny postagi stamps, 12 eight pound sheets of 2i postage stamps, 11 fifteen pound sheet of 5s postage stamps, of a total valtu of £856, the property of the New Zea land Government; (2) breaking and en tering the premises of Messrs. Whit combe and Tombs by night between th< 13th and the 14th December, 1907, anc stealing therefrom a large quantity o fountain pens and other articles, valuec at £140. It was decided to take the two casei together. Chief-Detective Broberg conducted the prosecution, and Mr. Wilford da fenced. IN THE STAMP ROOM. John Burns, Government stain] printer, gave evidence that he left th< printing office on the 14th December 1906, between 9.30 and 9.40 o'clock The outer doors he locked ; the window, also were secured. When witness re turned to work at 8 o'clock the aqx< morning, he noticed a broken window on the top story, on the side of thi building facing Lambton-quay. Th< lines on which the stamps were hunj had been interfered with, and sonn sheets were lying on the floor. Witnes also saw the window of the dryinj rooms smashed. There was missiaj £856 worth of stamps, consisting o penny, two shilling, and five fhillinj sheets. The ropes that were found ii the room did not belong to the office. Cross-examined by Mr. Wilford : I was possible to get to the top of t»i< building by means of a built-in .ladder The stamps that were taken from thi office were not perforated. Witness di( not consider that stamps could be sue cessfully tendered without perforation. A VALUABLE HAUL OF PEN'S. Louis Douglas Whitcombe, a membei of the firm of Whitcombe and Tombs Ltd., said their business at the time o the robbery was being conducted ii temporary premises ih Pringle's oh building. Everything was secure -in thi building the evening before the rob bery. Next morning a rope was dis covered suspended from a broken sky light. Access could be made from Wei lington-terrace. The whole of the valu able stock of fountain pens was taken A show-case was removed from a countei to Wellington-terrace, where it was broken open. Cross-examined by Mr. Wilford : The price of the pens mentioned in the charge-sheet was the retail cost. The wholesale value was less that amount by about 25 per cent. THE DETECTIVE'S EVIDENCE. Detective Lewis stated that on ths 25th of last month Ire took the finger prints" of accused. He transmitted them to the Finger-print Department. Detective Quartermain, of the Finger print Department, said that he visited the Government Printing Office tht morning after the reported burglary. While there, Detective Rowle drew witness's attention to a finger-print on some glass. Similar tell-tale marks were obtained from some glass in the drying-room. The glass with the impresses was removed and photographed. The plates were developed and enlarged. Witness produced both originals and the photographs. He explained the various prints, demonstrating to the court to which finger each impress belonged. Witness was quite satisfied that the prints could have oeen made by no other person than by accused. The detective gave similar evidence relative to finger-prints obtained from show-case* in Whitcombe and Tombs's establishment, lie was satisfied that both sete of prints' were identical. ACCUSED ADMITS GUILT. Mr. Wilford : "May I submit, you! Worship, that Mr. Broberg is employing a battleaxe to sharpen a lead pencil considering that accused admits guilt?" AN IMPORTANT STATEMENT. Detective Andrews stated that he had, on sth May, charged the accused with the offences. On the next day, after ht had been before the court and remanded, he made a statement which he attested with his signature. The slatement was as follows :—: — "6th May, 1909. " To Chief -Detective Broberg, — In reference "to the two charges against me, upon which I was arraigned this morning, viz., the Government Printing Office robbery and Whitcombe and Tombs's, I intend to 2>lead ' guilty, and I desire to say that ths stamps obtained by ma from the Government Printing Office were burnt and never disposed of by sale or otherwise. I will prove that they were burnt wheii the Magistrate's Court hearing comes on. The Government lost nothing excepting the paper and cost of printing. In reference to the proceeds of the Whitcombe and Tombs's robbery, I retained several pens and a few pocket-books, but the major portion was dropped into the harbour by me while crossing to Seatoun one night, I gave a few of the articles away. "JAS. HEMINGWAY.' 1 WAITING FOR THE TRIAL. In reference to the written statement, Mr. Wilford remarked that accused had promised to prove to his Worship that he had burnt the stamps that he stole from the Government Printing Office. Counsel had advised him since to withhold the proof until he came before a Judge, who would have to decide the matter. A lady would be required as witness, but in that connection no more publicity than possible was desired. Accused pleaded guilty, and was committed to the Supreme Court for trial.