POLICE COURT

Evening Star, Issue 18809, 6 December 1924, Page 10

POLICE COURT

Saturday, December 6. (Before Mr J. 11. Bartholomew, S.M.) WEAK-MINDED GIRL. An application for an aflihalion order against Frank Pope, who admitted paternity, was granted. Defendant was ordered to pay maintenance at the rale of I2s 6d a week and £6 for expenses. in relation to the above the girl in the ease came up on a charge of being an idle and disorderly person in that she had no lawful means of support. Sub-inspector Fraser said the girl was twenty years of age. She had had two illegitimate children. The father of the girl stated, in reply to questions, that he had four children in institutions, and was paying £6 a "month for (heir maintenance. He admitted that he had no contol over the girl, who st-ftyed at homo while ho went to work. Sergeant Boulton said he knew the girl and her surroundings. Sho was left continually by herself. Her father had no control over her. Although tho girl was not of wilfully had moral habits, she was easily led, and apparently could not help herself. She was not a strong-minded girl, tho same remark applying to her father. In reply to tho magistrate, the girl said she was willing to go into the Salvation Army Home. Tho ■Magistrate said he accepted the position that the girl was more weaL-minded' than vicious. The present proceedings would be dismissed on the condition that shn remained in tho iSalvaiion Army reformatory homo for twelve months. In the Juvenile Court, later, the child was committed to tho Cavershain Industrial School, to ho brought up in the Presbyterian form of religion. YOUTH'S LAP SB.

James Edgar Walker, eighteen years of age, was charged with the theft, of a silver. watch, tho property of Errol Ansel. Accused pleaded not guilty. Errol Ansel, thirteen years of age, said ho was at tho Y.M.C.A., and hung up bur coat, in which was his watch. When ho rc-| tiuniedt for Jtts coat, tho watch had disappeared. Tho watch produced _ by the chief detective was his—his initials wore scratched on, tho front of it. _ Robin Ross Adair, director of boys work at the Y.-M.G.A., said ho saw accused outside the building cm tho night of the theft. Detective Hart road a statement winch accused had signed. In lima, statement accused' said that a boy named itGregor and bo were in the Y.M.C.A., when they met another bov, who offered to sell Diem a watch. At first ho wanted 10s, then ho came down to ss, and then sold it lor Is 6d. Accused gave tho young fcDow Is, and left his address so that the young follow could call for tho balance of it he money, Tho detective said ho would guo accused a month to find tho boy who sold the watch, but at tho end of that time accused had not done so. Accused gave evidence corroborating his statement to tho detective. In reply to tho magistrate ho said ho would know the fellow who sold tho watch if ho saw him again. Ho had not seen him since. Robert lan M‘Gregor supported tho statement of accused that the watch was bought. At tho same time witness purchased a Y.M.C.A. badge for 6d. Tho Magistrate said he was satisfied accused stole the watch, told untruths about it, and got his mate to come along to back up his story. Ho would bo convicted. Mr Look (juvenile probation officer) said he had bad experience of accused, whoso people were very respectable, and who had given his mother a lot of trouble. Accused was sly and cunning. Accused wivs admitted to probation for a period of Involve months. He was warned: by tho Magistrate that he would not be given another chance if he offended. In regard to the publication of accused s name, the Magistrate said ho would make no order, because there were a largo number of boys in the Y.M.C.A., and many of them might have been under suspicion. A STOLEN SHIRT. David Forsyth denied having stolen a. shirt valued at Bs, belonging to William 'Wilson. Tho evidence was that accused took the shirt from a clothes basket in the washhouse of Airs M’Kay, 9 Victoria street. Ho was there for the purpose of collecting scraps for his employer's pigs. .Evidence whs given by Nellie JFKay, William Wilson, William M’Kay, and Elsie M’Kay. Detective Sneddon said he found the missing shirt in accused’s hut at Leith Valley. Accused did not desire te give evidence. Chief-detective Lewis said that nothing was previously known against accused. The Magistrate fined accused £2, with witnesses’ expenses £2, in default fourteen days’ hard labor. PROHIBITION -ORDER BROKEN. Thomas Henry Smith was sentenced to fourteen days’ imprisonment on a charge of drunkenness, and was fined £2, with the alternative of fourteen days’ imprisonment, on a charge of broach of a prohibition order. Tim Magistrate warned defendant, who had a “ record ’’ this your, that if he broke his order again he would be sent away for twelve months.