MISSING TIRES

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 109, 9 May 1924, Page 8

MISSING TIRES

YOUNG MAN ACCUSED

ALLEGED THEFT FROM WARE-

HOUSE.

*" The theft of six * tires," two spare *; wheel rims, and a crate containing thirty *.' dozen eggs, from the warehouse of Picot % Brothers :qn the evening ofil4th March %, last, led to the appearance in" the Su- ?* preme Court this morning of a young ": man' named Harry Alexander Murcott, Jl who/was charged with breaking and J* entering the warehouse, and with the '■'■ theft of the articles mentioned, and X valued at about £70. Mr. Justice Chap-

man was on the Bench, Mr. P. S. K.

J,1- Macassey prosecuted, Mr. J. F. B. Stev- '•- ensoh represented accused, and Mr. W. <i Dobson was foreman of the jury. Ac--2 Cused pleaded not guilty., £ -111 opening tho prosecution, Mr. •o Macassey stated that another young man *• named Spencer had already pleaded i guilty to tho theft of the tires and the U breaking and entering of tho Warehouse. The allegation was that Spencer knew $» accused, | and arranged with liim to V- go down and help get the tires and *' eggs, having already made some arrange- :'.' ment with a man named Fitzgerald,

?, who was thought to have an interest '2 in a garage known as Clarksons. SpenjT cer and accused met on the evening be- ?! foro the theft, but could not get a truck; and put the theft off until the T, following night, when they took a truck 4- down from Clarkson's garage. The I' warehouse was entered by ' breaking a '. . window, Spencer being unable to find £ the .key. Spencer left the eggs at his \ place, and took the tires to the garage. '■ Accused was" subsequently interviewed. ' He admitted'having gone With Spencer to get the tires and eggs, but denied V: that he knew -the articles were being V< stolen. - Spencer would tell the jury that if, ,he had arranged the theft with accused !C and had agreed to pay accused half the *■' proceeds. „. "• Spencer, in the box, said ho told Mur- \ - cott he had to get some tires for Fitz ; X geralcl. They went to the warehouse 1 the night before- tho theft, and witness told accused that was the place FitzJ,: gerald had told him to get the tires i'j from. The next night witness and acJ" cusedwent to Clarkson's • garage, got a »■* loTry, and went to the warehouse. The V. lorry was left on tho road. Tho doors were all locked, and Murcott said the only way to get in was by breaking ', a window, Which he did. Witness ent- ~<; ered and opened the doors, passing out l\ the tires' and eggs. Witness said he •" told accused he would give him half of £•! .what be got for the tires from Fitz- '-. gerald. Murcott had said he had no f" money. The amount of money likely to !j be obtained was not mentioned, and ' Murcott did not know what arrangeJ ment had-been.made with .Fitzgerald. W Cross-examined, witness said Murcott „ was first given the impression that tho .'" getting of tho tires was merely a job i:' he was doing for Fitzgerald. „- Witness denied that ho knew there l-~ vas a key hidden outside the warehouse. ?. Murcott had never received .a penny !or ,7 his " share,-" and no arrangement was V- made for Murcott' to get 'his half-share. .". Witness was supposed to have gone to \: Shannon with accused, but was arrested

• the following morning. Accused must -' rave known they were going on a steal- ' ing expedition, but witness had never 'faid a word about it. AH ho had said ' .■ .was that, he was doing a job for Eitz'"ge'raW." " Accused had said everything appeared to be all right, as witness appeared to know where to go. Witness did know where to go. Witness admitted that he had two previous convictions, had served at ' Weraroa as a lad, and had been convicted of crime .in Australia.

No evidence was' called for the de-

'- fence. Mr. Stevenson in his address said £ Sj.encer*/was fairly mature, - and had, - from his -earliest youth, led a vlife of - crime, affilUiis". actions .were.;to .be looked 'I at with th'ellgravest^doubt.';■ "He was a' ■; ciiminal, and might hayo some motive

'n his evidence against 'accused,

gave the police every assistance after i the crime was well sheeted home to him. The jury found the prisoner not guilty J on both counts,»after-a -retirement, of a ■• lew minutes. „ -V-

(Proceeding.)