BEETROOT AND CREME-DEROSES

Evening Star, Issue 19002, 25 July 1925, Page 6

BEETROOT AND CREME-DE-ROSES

TALE OF A SEA COOK

DISBELIEVED BY BENCH,

For stealing a bottle of liquor with tho aristocratic-sounding name or “creme-de-roses,” Alfred Goodwin Pell, a cook on tho ship Hollinsidc, was this morning fined £3, with witnesses’ expenses (20s), in default seven days’ imprisonment. Tho bottle was taken from the Oban Hotel on Thursday afternoon, and th< accused stoutly maintained that he was on the ship all that afternoon, and had never before last night seen the two witnesses who came forward this morning and told the story that led to his undoing. But the magistrate (Mr Bartholomew') believed the witnesses, and told the accused that he was satisfied he was not telling the truth. Sub-inspector O’Halloran said that the matter of the theft had been reported to the police by the licensee, and that inquiries led to the arrest of accused. John Wallace', engineer, said he was in the Oban on Thursday, and had a drink with tho accused. On coming out of the hotel the latter produced a “square rigger” of gin, and said he bad taken it from tho Oban. From there thev went to the Fmropean, where accused tried to sell the liquor to the barman. William Edward Walker, laborer, told a similar story, except that the bottle accused bad shown them contained “ red stuff.” He didn’t know exactly what it was—something like “ rose-dc-plum ” the name was. There was also an empty square rigger and a hottlo of whisky. Accused; What sort of overcoat had I on? Was it a bine one?—Yes. Well, 1 never owned a bine overcoat. Witness said that he saw' tattoo marks on accused's arm. Accused: 1 wouldn t bo a sailor if I hadn’t. , Frederick Griffiths Pa ape. licensee of the Oban Hotel, gave evidence of the missing bottle of crcine-de-roses, which he valued at £2 ss. This liquor would not bo sold by tho bottle once in ten years. Accused gave, evidence. He was cool on the ship, he said, and his duties kepi him on hoard all Thursday afternoon. Ho was cooking beetroot, and it needed watching. The witnesses had committed perjury in swearing he was the man they saw, and ho (accused) “would have this case over again.” He was certainly in an hotel yesterday ■at 2.30 p.m. George Henry Brown, captain of tho ship, said ho saw accused on hoard after dinner, hut couldn’t say if he was there at 3 o’clock. The Magistrate said he was satisfied the witnesses wore not mistaken, and that accused would have no difficulty in get-ting ashore. Ho did not think the beetroot would spoil in bis absence. He would be convicted and fined £3 with witnesses’ expenses.

Contain Brown announced that he would pay tho fine, as he wanted Fell on board.