ALLEGED THEFT

Greymouth Evening Star, 10 September 1927, Page 8

ALLEGED THEFT

' HOTEL MANAGER ACCUSED. TIMARU, Sept. 9. A sitting of the Magistrate’s Court took place before Mi- C. R. OnWalker, S.M., when Leonard St. Clair Thompson, late manager of the Grosvenor Hotel, Timaru (Mr W. F. Tracy) was charged with stealing a quantity of clothes, silverware, crockery, veses, chairs,, cutlery, jewellery, and £ll/14/7 in money, of a total value of £122/12/7, the property of the estate of Catherine Harriet Allen. Francis E. Duncan, Public Trustee, Timaru, stated that Catherine Allen and died without making a will. She left five brothers. In December, 1926, he took over administration of deceased's estate. An inventory of the effects was made, and he had appointed accused, deceased’s brother, as manager of the Grosvenor Hotel, Timaru. In March, 1927, the hotel and goods were sold, and another stocktaking was made, when goods were found to be missing, including jewellery and furniture. Witness had given definite instructions to accused not to remove any articles from the place which were not accused’s personal property. Accused had returned a fur coat and other articles of clothing. Witness had told accused then to ’return the missing property of the estate. Nothing further had been returned, and the matter had been reported to the police, and a large quantity of goods had been secured, valued at about £122. Accused who pleaded not guilty and reserved his defence, was committed' for trial at the next session of the Supreme Court at Timaru. Bail was allowed in the sum of £lOO, or on two sureties of £5O.