CRIMINAL SESSIONS

Evening Post, Volume CVIII, Issue 101, 29 October 1924, Page 6

CRIMINAL SESSIONS

CHARGES OF THEFT.

The Criminal Sessions of the Supreme Court were continued to-day before his Honour the Chief Justice (Sir Robert Stout). Mr. P. S. K. Macassey represented the Crown. The first case was that of Henry Harris ■ Buber Tunnicliffe, charged with theft (3 charges), and with failing to account for moneys. The charges related to the theft on or about 9th August of a wristlet watch, muff chain, pendant and watch, valued at £12 10s, the property of Mary Katherine Littlewood; the theft on sth September of a pair of field glasses and. leather case valued at £6, the property of Constance Eberlet; the theft on 30th August of three lady's frocks, one blouse, hairbrushes, and other articles of jewellery and toilet of a total value of £15 15s, the property of Minnie Lee. The prisoner, who was undefended by counsel, pleaded not guilty. Mr. Macassey in opening the case stated that some of the articles mentioned in the indictment had been either pawned by accused or had been found in his possession. No satisfactory explanation was given by accused. . Evidence was given by Mary Katharine Littlewood to the effect "that the articles mentioned in the first charge had been taken from a cash-box in her room at the Selwyn Hotel on 9th August. In regard to the property of Mrs. Minnie Lee, Mr. Macassey said that Mrs. Lee was a member of the Vanbrugh Boucicault Dramatic Company, and had left New Zealand. Her evidence taken in the lower Court was read. The property was taken from the Masonic Hotel. A dress and the gold and some of the stones of the jewellery had not been recovered. Evidence was given by Mrs. Eberlet as to the loss of her property, which she indentified. The accused made a statement from the dock denying the charges. The jury retired at 11.40 a.m. The jury returned a verdict of guilty on all charges. His Honour said he wo-jld postpone sentence until later. It was difficult to know what to do with a man like accused who had only recently been released from gaol, where he had been serving a sentence for a similar offence. There were a number of previous convictions. He appeared to be a hopeless case. ALLEGED BREAKING AND ENTERING. George Edward Bellenger, a young man, pleaded not guilty to a lengthy list of charges of breaking and entering. On 10th July last, at Wellington, it was alleged that ho had broken and entered tho dwelling of Frederick Wallace and stole £27 10s, and on the same dato he received from Lionel Carroll the sum of £10 10s, the property of Stella Wallace, from whom it had been stolen. It was further alleged that on 21st July ho stole from the house of Alice Gertrude Hearst £2 8s and four keys valued at ss, and on the same date received from Lionel Carroll the sum of £1 4s, knowing it to have been stolen. On 22nd July, it was allaged, he broke and entered the dwellinghouse of Agnes May Yeatman and stole therefrom the'sum of £60, a wrist watch valued at £2 3s, and a fountain pen valued at 10s; also that on tho same date he received the sum of £9, and the wrist watch so stolen. The accused, who pleaded not guilty, conducted his own defence, and the prosecution was conducted by Mr. P. S. K. Macassey. ' Mr. Macassey said that the accused was indicted alono, but tho evidence was that the theft was committed by two men, a young man named Carroll and the accused. Carroll had pleaded guilty, and had already been dealt with by tho Court. By arrangement with tho accused, Carroll used to go into the dwellings and shops, steal tho money and divide it with Bellenger. The procedure in every case was the same. Carroll actually carried out tho thefts,- while tho accused, who instigated them, remained out of range and later shared in the spoil. Tho principal witness waa Lionol Carroll, a Sydney youth, 21 year 3of ago, of good education and respectable parentage, who described his association with Bellenger, who had instigated a series of burglaries to which witness had pleaded guilty. (Proceeding.)