SEEING THE FUNERAL

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 118, 22 May 1925, Page 8

SEEING THE FUNERAL

HOTEL THIEF SENT TO GAOL.

An incident that occurred during the progress of the funeral of the late Prime Minister was investigated at the Magistrate's. Court to-day, -when James Stephen O'Neill pleaded guilty to the charge of the attempted theft of a hand bag and contents, valued at £l 15s, the property of John Hanlon.

Chief-Detective Kemp stated that on the 14th May, the date of the late Prime Minister's funeral, a porter was stationed at the doorway of the Grand Hotel to prevent unauthorised persons from entering. About 1.15 p.m., while the porter was speaking to another man, the accused rushed past and ran upstairs. The/porter followed him, and when accosted, the accused said he occupied room 66, and gave a fictitious name. The porter was not satisfied, and went down to the office, but was unable to find any reference to O'Neill. In company witli the wife, of the licensee, he went to the third floor, and saw the accused passing from one room to another. Mrs. Coltman noticed O'Neill in a room occupied by a guest, and saw him inserting his arm into a hand bag. When questioned he appeared to be nonplussed, and said £.!»T Wa3 100 I"ing f°r one of the guests. 0 Neill was detained till the police arrived.

The Chief-Detective stated that the accused had Tjeen Before the Court previously for breaking and entry and assault. He. is a 'shoddy-dropper' by occupation," he said, "and is looked upon by the police as a bad hotel thief." Mr. C. B. O'Donnell, on behalf of tho accused, explained that O'Neill really wont to the hotel to see the funeral from upstairs. "The man was foolish," he said, and must have known that anything found to be missing would bo at-n^r'-i c, d t°. him- Counsel objected to O JSfeiU being described as an hotel thief. ,

Chief-Detective Kemp: "I can give you a specific instance where he was caught almost xedhanded in the Now Zealander Hotel trying to steal a bottle of whisky; and I can give more if you want them." J

The Magistrate (Mr. C. R, Orr Walker,. 5.M.,) imposed a sentence of fourteen days' imprisonment with hard labours