“RINGING THE CHANGES”

Evening Star, Issue 20959, 25 November 1931, Page 8

“RINGING THE CHANGES”

“LIVING BY HIS WITS" MAH SEKT TO PRISON An old trick, known as “ ringing the changes,” was the means by which James Edward May obtained 9s fid from a city shopkeeper, and it led to his appearance in the Police Court this morning, when he was charged with the theft of that sum, the property of Hugh William Allen. The accused pleaded not guilty, and Detective-sergeant Nutt all said that it was not an ordinary case of theft, but a case of “ ringing the changes ” at a shop. “ The accused came into my_ shop between 5 and 6 on Monday night,’’ said Hugli William Allen, a fruit and produce merchant. Witness said that the accused asked for some apples, witness giving him 6d worth in a bag. The accused produced a 10s note, and witness gave him 9s Cd in change, iho accused said: “ Give me back my 10s note; I have some silver in my pocket. Witness gave it to him, and the accused then remarked: “I’m out atlho show. I’ll give you some complimentary tickets to take you into the tent. Witness said he did not want the tickets, and the accused then got soma silver from his pocket and put it in the 10s note. ~. ~ “ Give me a pound for this,” was what the accused was alleged to have said to witness, and without looking at the note witness took a pound from his till and gave it to him. The accused then left the shop, and by these means witness was defrauded of 9s 6d. Witness went to Tahuna Park yesterday morning and saw the accused standing outside one of the tents. Later witness visited the show grounds with a. _ detective and a constable. ‘ Constable Le Sueur gave evidence. that ho had gone to the showgrounds with the previous witness, who pointed the accused out to witness and Defective Gibson. , . , , The accused said he was a labourer by occupation. It was quite a surprise to him when he was accused of the offence on the showgrounds by a detective. He denied that he had ever been in Allen’s shop, and said that when the offence was alleged to have f aken .P 7 ? co he was at the showgrounds building up a tent ” with a “ fellow they call ‘ Maori Jack.’ ” To tho Magistrate: They were putting up a show for “ Zara, the girl with the snake’s head.” Cross-examined by the detective sergeant, witness admitted that he had been sentenced in 1920 to six years imprisonment for assault and robbery, and that he had served nine years in prison in tho last eleven years. The Magistrate intimated to the accused that he could bring witnesses to speak as to his whereabouts on the night in question if he so desired, hut the accused said ho would not trouble about them. “ They mightn’t want to come; it might be too much trouble for them.” ■ , . The Magistrate said that Mr Alien was positive in his identification of the accused. The cross-examination showed that the accused was ‘‘living by his wits when he was not living by crime. . May was sentenced to one months imprisonment.