FINDING A WALLET

Evening Post, Volume CII, Issue 39, 15 August 1921, Page 8

FINDING A WALLET

A PRISONER ACQUITTED.

A young man, Albert Osman, 20 years of age, formerly a trimmer o» the steamship Matatua, was charged before his Mr. Justice Reed and a jury of twelve, of' which Mr. J. fienshilwood wa3 foieman, at the Supreme Court this morning with'the theft of a wallet containing £86, or, alternatively, with having received the wallet and money knowing it to have, been stolen.

Mr. P. S. K. Macassey appeared for the Crown, and Mr! C. A. L. Treadwell for the defence. " ' V •

The facts of the case were, briefly, as follow: One Francis. C. J. Olsen, a photographer, went on board the Matatua in- his usual course of business, and apparently while exhibiting photographs in the firemen's forecastle accidentally drew the wallet from his pocket and dropped it on the floor. After leaving the vessel he discovered, his loss and returned to the ship and widely advertised the fact that he had lost his wallet. Further, lie offered a reward of £5 for its recovery,; and gave warning that unless it was. returned to him he would inform • the police. - A: few hours! later Osmas was arrested for drunkenness, and the wallet and money were found in his possession. When questioned by De-toctive-Sergeant Andrews on the following morning Osman first maintained that the money was a part of his savings, but_ later he admitted that he had found it in the forecastle, and that lie had been told by Olsen that the wallet had been lost. Whether or not he had intended to return the wallet accused did not make clear in-his statement *to the detective, but .this morning ho stated that he had gone ashore ■'■ with another fireman for the purpose of looking up Olsen, and claiming the reward. However, he met other members of the crew and got so drunk that lie was arrested before he could find Olsen. It was suggested by counsel, in answer to an allegation that Olaen had changed one of the notes,, that Mrs. Olsen, to whom the money belonged, might have removed a note without her husband's knowledge. The jury brought in a verdict of not guilty after ten minutes' deliberation.