GAME OF BANKER

Evening Star, Issue 23146, 21 December 1938, Page 9

GAME OF BANKER

THEFT IN STEAMER EXPRESS DUNEDINITE THE VICTIM A game of cards between three passengers travelling from Lyttelton to Wellington by the express steamer Rangatira on the night of December 17 led to the appearance of Thomas Andrew O’Loughlin, showman, hrick&yer, and salesman, aged 29, in the agistrate’s Court, Wellington, on Monday. He pleaded guilty to the fheft of £8 and was admitted by Mr J. H. Lnxford, S.M., to probation for two fearS. Ernest Mathieson Freeman, Dunidin, a passenger by the Rangatira on Saturday, said he was in the bar during /he passage from Lyttelton to Wellington when two men, one of them accused, invited him to have a drink. Witness accepted the invitation, and vhile they sat at a table O’Loughlin uggested a game of cards. Witness lid not know the game, and from •thers learnt it was banker. The bets /ere small, but when O’Loughlin and Us companion started using bank notes Is stakes witness protested. “ They said I was going down and hat they would give me a chance to ?et my money back.” said witness. • O’Loughlin put down a £5 note and aid he was backing half. The other ban put down 10s.” Sub-inspector J. A. Dempsey, who (rosecuted; Did you agree to the bet of t2 10s? Witness: No. “ O’Loughlin turned my card up and ‘ Carry on, it’s all right,’ ” said /itness, who added that ho was later eked by both men to pay out. Witness fcought about the matter and decided ■lt was only fair to give O’Loughlin £l. Ie took £9 from his wallet and laid it /own, but O’Loughlin picked up all the jioney and handed back £l. Witness omplained to the purser. The purser of the Rangatira said he ccompanied complainant in a search hrough the second-class accommodaion as the steamer was approaching he wharf, but O’Loughlin was not seen ifter the passengers had left the ship le was discovered in the stewards’ fiarters, which were far removed from ne passenger accommodation. Evidence disclosed also that at the /harf police station O’Loughlin offered j> give complainant the money which ;as alleged to have been stolen. He kid £7O in his possession. When O’Loughlin pleaded guilty Subisnector Dempsey said he had been “fore the court on six previous occaOUS. Counsel submitted that O’Longhlin id been carrying on the business of salesman, which necessitated him hving a good deal of money in his postssion. When he started a game of hnker on board the Rangatira he was the influence of liquor, and the imptation to take advantage of comJainant was too much. The offence as in no way premeditated