RUSE TO STEAL

Evening Star, Issue 22193, 22 November 1935, Page 18

RUSE TO STEAL

VARIETY ARTIST'S LAPSE Amazing circumstances in which a young music hall artist used his talents as a female impersonator in order to commit theft were revealed at Glasgow Sheriff Court recently. The case, which Mr A. Anderson described as the most extraordinary one he had ever appeared in as prosecutor, resulted in James M'Lucky, aged 25, receiving a sentence of three months’ imprisonment. M‘Lucky pleaded guilty to having stolen from a house in Palm street two watches, a gold albert, a pair of eyeglasses, a pocket book, postage stamps, and 10s. “M'Lucky has been masquerading for some time as a fashionable young woman, and has been frequenting the city streets complete with wig, paint, and powder,” declared Mr Anderson. “He accosted the complainant and talked to him for some time, and the complainant believed he had met a young woman. They’ went together to a house, and the man was not quite sober. Fortunately he happened _to see the supposed young woman going through his pockets. Realising what had happened ho reported the matter to the police.” Complainant, it was added, suffered a great shock when ho learned the identity of his companion. It was stated in defence of M'Lucky that he had been unable to get an engagement for some time, and had been forced by circumstances to uso bis abilities in tins manner. Poverty' led him to yield to an impulse. _ ; Sheriff Bartholomew, in passing sentence, said the crime was deliberately planned and without any mitigating circumstances.