JUVENILE COURT.

Evening Star, Issue 12761, 14 March 1906, Page 6

JUVENILE COURT.

(Before C. C. Graham. S.M.) A batch of haif a dozen boys came before Mr Graham, in this court this morning charged with stealing and receiving BtcJen circus tickets, the property of Bostock and WoiubweJl. The first accused, a lad of nearly fifteen years, was charged with having stolen a roll of 500 one shilling tickets, vatued at £25. Chief-detective Herbert, who appeared for the poiice, asked leave to reduce the amount to We. Mr HanJon.said that accused, for whom he appeared, pleaded guilty. Detective Herbert said the facts were that on the night of the opening of the circus the ticket-seller had the tickets in a padlocked box. There were a gwat number of them printed in long stops. Some volunteer cadets and a lot of otiter boys, including the accused, were there. Thecadets used their bayonets to force the padlock open and get these tickets out Several people got into ti>e circus on some of these' tickets. Next day a woman, whose name was not known, brought back 700 of the tickets. This boy very honestly and frankly admitted the whole thing when taxed with it, gave all the infornmuan posinbie to the police, and expressed regret. In this respect he stood alone amongst the boys. Mr Hanion said the boy admitted that he was present, and that, seeina; the box open, he had helped himself to tickets. He took them away and hid them. He did not use any of them, and on the following day, repenting, he told another boy to get the tickets and burn them. That was done. Up to now the accused had borne a. good character, and had always been a very good boy. His parents were respectable. Detective Herbert said that the police were quite satisfied that the boy's snr.Toundrngs and family were all right. His Worship said he. would bear the other cases before giving his decision. The next boy was chareed with having received a roll of tickets of the value of 10s, knowing them to be stolen.—Mr Hanlon appeared, and the plea was not guilty. Chief-detective Herbert said that the boy who took the tickets (the last accused) gave them to the present accused to destroy. He burnt tham. He submitted that if the boy knew that these goods were stolen when he took them he was guilty of the offence. Mr Hanion said that to sheet home the offence it must be shown that he received them with intent to convert them to his own use. In this case he burned the goods. In doing so he might be an accessory after the. fact, in that he helped to conceal the guilt of the other boy. | The case was dismissed, the Magistrate warning the boy. Four other boys were charged with stealj ing rolls of tickets. Messrs Aslin, Barclay, and Moore appeared for them, and the plea , in cat hj ease was not guilty. A variety of evidence was given by several other bow, but, there was little enough evidence of identification. In regard to one boy. it wav stated ihat lie gave another youth a. circus ticket, which he t-aid he. had found on the ground. Hie other circumstantial e.vi-jenee offered v. u::-that a boy in cadet uniform burst op.~n the box with the tickets, and three of i'lo- accused were in uniform on the date mentioned. Captain Taylor (of the circus) deposed that. the. tickets lost were in themsehws of little value, hnt they calculated to lose £ls to £lB through admission being gained by the tickets. The charges were dismissed. The. boy who pleaded guilty previously was brought forward io he dealt with. Mr Hanion submitted that under the cir-ennnstancf-s the ends of justice would be «mnt if accused w,'.re ordered to come up for sentence when called upon. He had confe»ed openly to what he had to do with the theft, and was obviously repe-niant. The Chief Detective spoke well of the boy'? candor since the aff.-iir, and of his repentance, and the Magistrate intimated that, in view of the circumstances (the boy having taken no active part in ihp opening of tie bor), he would lie and ord<-red to come up for sentence when called upon. He hoped this would prove u ualutary lesson for him.