“MAN WITH RED BEARD”

Greymouth Evening Star, 18 April 1938, Page 8

“MAN WITH RED BEARD”

STORIES TOLD IN COURT. SYDNEY, April 1. The explanation frequently given by accused persons when charged with receiving stolen goods was commented upon, by Judge Curlewis in Quarter Sessions yesterday.

When binding over an accused who had been convicted of receiving to be of good behaviour, his Honor said to him: -“If you know how many times in this court the story is related of a stranger giving a man some clothes to pawn Aon would think of something original.” J i

The accused: It was perfectly true, your Honor.

His Honor: That story is copyright. The first time I heard it was many years ago. As a matter of fact the first time the story was told was about the year 1500.

“A hundred years ago, tvhen a man was found with a. stolen horse he always said: —‘I got it from a man with a red beard on the Goulburn road,’ his Honor added. “In these days fashions seemed to have changed, and now the explanation given is: ‘A stranger handed these things to me to pawn.’ No one ever thinks to ask the stranger why he does not pawn the articles himself.”

His Honor said he thought that the law should be amended so that when men with previous convictions made statements in court that when they received goods they did not know they were stolen the Crown could call evidence of the previous convictions to establish guilty knowledge. Mr. McKean, K.C., senior Crown