A SMART BOY

Evening Post, Volume XCVII, Issue 27, 31 January 1919, Page 8

A SMART BOY

CAPTURES AN ALLEGED THIEF,

"A very useful young man to have about the place and quite a good amateur sleuth," a member of the Police Force remarked to a Post reporter, when a lad named Emil Brandlis stepped down from the witness-box at the Magistrate's Court this morning. Alfred William Donaldson stood on the opposite side of the Court to answer a charge of having stolen a bicycle, valued at £15, the property of Inglis Bros, and Company, Ltd. One of the clerks employed by the company yesterday morning left the machine outside the Union S'aeam Ship Company's offices, and on coming out to the street in a few minutes found it had disappeared. Later in the day the boy Brandlis noticed Donaldson with the machine in Taranaki-street. He went across and told him that his firm owned thjj machine and that he intended to take it bi>ck. Donaldson replied that he had been given the machine, and attempted to move off. The lad did a little quick head work and told him that a constable was approaching—actually there was none in sight—and at the same time placed his own bicycle in the path of the other. Donaldson became generous at once, and giving up the machine stalked off. However, now that the lad had got the machine he set out to get the man, obviously an impossible task without help. He followed him for some time till a constable came within hailing distance, when he was called over and the man given in charge. Donaldson repeated his story this morning that a "man whom he would not know again" had offered to sell him the machine, and when told that he had no money kindly said, "You can have it for nothing," and was as good as his word.

To the surprise of everyone and the considerable discomfiture of the Court, for the "list" to-day is a heavy one, Donaldson, who pleaded not guilty, elected to be tried by jury. Consequently the whole of the evidence for the prosecution will have to be taken over again, and officially taken down by the Conrt typist when the caee can be again, called later this afternoon.