IN THE EARLY HOURS

Gisborne Times, Volume LXI, Issue 9771, 31 July 1924, Page 3

IN THE EARLY HOURS

bedroom robberies at ROYAL HOTEL. TWO AUCKLANDERS CHARGED. £B6 INVOLVED. Racegoers, from the lucky punters and jockeys to stable boys who wctg guests of the Royal Hotel during the Gisborne Club’s Steeplechase meeting on Thursday end Saturday were badly stung by v j- crooks who visited their vn the early hours of Friday morning and who made a very profitable ‘‘divvie” of £B6. It was much quiocer ‘‘picking’ the winners than by backing the * sure things.” The hick suspected of the thefts are two Aucklanders, both in their early twenties, named Albert Edward Duncan and Raymond Woodward, who appeared in the Police Court before Mr E. O. Levvey S.M., yesterday. They were charged with stealing £6O belonging to William Black, £6 from Bonald Morns, £2O off Patrick Burke and 8s 6d belonging to Reginald Richmond. The accused were not represented by counsel. . ~ T ... According to Detective McLeod the visitors from Auckland arrived by the Arahura at 11 p.m. on July 23, stayed the night at the hotel and the next day went to the races. The accused left the hotel at 3 o'clock on Friday morning, after which several of the guests complained of losing sums of money and then they visited three other hotels representing that they were lodgers. Writ. Black, an agent of Palmerston North and at present a guest at the Royal Hotel, said he had stayed at' the hotel during the race meeting. He went to bed at 1 o clock on Thursday morning, leaving three £2O notes and loose cash nr lus trousers pocket. The robbers had easy access to his room as he did not lock the door, and when he wakened at 10.30 a.m. the bank notes were missing. Subsequently he received some information and consequently sought Mr Martin, the licensee, and Mr Nisbett. The three went to Duncan’s bedroom where they found him in bed sleeping. Duncan was roused and a search of his clothing revealed two of the £2O notes in lus shirt sleeves which wero rolled up to toe shoulder. A further £l3 was found in Duncan’s coat hanging on the wall. Witness claimed the money but Duncan objected, saying that it belonged to him. The money was later handed to Detective McLeod. Patrick Burke, a. laborer, said he occupied room 25 in the hotel and on Thursday night he retired oetween 10 and 11 o’clock. He left money consisting of two £lO notes and a cheque in his trouser pocket hanging on the wall. Before going to bed lie placed a chair against the door. Dunng the early hours of the morning he was disturbed by somebody pushing the chair away. The light was switched on by the intruder, who appeared to be a man like Duncan who asked if Bill Rennie was there. Witness said that Rennie was not there and tlio man went away. When he woke up later the two “tenners” were gone only the cheques and a lev: shillings being left. Ronald Morris, a jockey, a guest or the Royal Hotel on July 29, said lie knew the accused were staying there. Ho went to bed at 7.30 p.m. and left £7 in his trousers pocket. About 10.30 a.m. ho awakened to find that his pockets were lighter by £7. In company with Mr Black and Mr Martin he went to the accused s room where he received £6 of the money recovered from Duncan. Reginald Richard, a Maori stableboy, of Hastings, told the Court he shared a room with Charlie I ranee, a jockcv. He said he had seen Woodward at the hotel on the previous Tuesday night. Detective McLeod: Are you sure of the date —Yes. Woodward (nervously): Take that down. Continuing, Richard said that accused occupied the room opposite him. On Thursday he went to bed at midnight leaving 13s 6d in bis clothes, hut in the morning he round ho was 8s 6d “shy.” The experience of the man who shared the room with Woodward and Duncan was related by William Nisbett, stable hand, of Hastings. He said that accused occupied the same room with him on tlio nights of July 23 and 24. On Thursday night he retired at 11 p.m. hut the accused were not in the room then. He was awakened between 2.30 and 3 a.m.

What happened in the room in which Richmond shared with Charles Franco, a jockey, was described by the latter/ who stated that Ire had seen the accused staying at the hotel. ! They occupied the opposite room, j About 3 a.m. he was awakened by ( someone turning the handle of the door and entering the room. Duncan came over to him and asked for cigarettes. Witness replied he had none, Duncan then went over to Richmond, shook him and asked for cigarettes. Richmond muttered that ho had none. During this time Woodward was standing in the doorway. Then both accused went outside, but a couple of minutes later Woodward . returned, switched on the light and pulled Richmond about, asking for a cigarette. Richmond replied lie had none. Woodward then searched Richmond’s clothes lying on the chair saying he was looking for cigarettes. Then ho switched off the light and went out. France also told the Court that he had a considerable sum o t money on him that night. Woodward: He says that on o.atn that I was in the room at 3 a.m The Registrar assured him that everything ho said was on oath. Joseph Martin, the licensee of the Royal Hotel, said that Woodward and Duncan asked for accommodation on Wednesday night, stating that they had just arrived from Auckland by the Arabura. They gave the name of Woods brothers, and although they stayed at the -hotel that night he did not see them the following night. He was present when Mr Black removed the money from Duncan’s rolled up shirt sleeves. - Joseph Owen Jones, licensee of the British Empire Hotel, said that lie was approached by Duncan at the hotel on the Friday morning about 8 o’clock when he asked for accommodation.- Duncan said he had arrived from the Coast and gave his proper name. Witness told Duncan the hotel was full up and he went away but returned later and asked for accommodation. As there were no vacancies witness suggested that Duncan should try the Record Rieigri At Duncan’s suggestion he rang up Mr Kyne who booked a bed, and Bunan left in a taxi. Before going Duncan asked him to change a “tenner” which ho did. Duncan: What hotel do you keep? —The British Empire. Duncan: I was never in it. How Duncan and Woodward gained admittance to the Masonic Hotel at 2.30 o’clock on Friday morning was told by Joseph Thomas Braxton the night porter. He said that the men told him that Hector Gray had arranged accommodation for them there? and be accordingly let them in. Thev remained lit the hotel until 6 o’clock in the morning. He subsequently learned that Hector Gray had made no arrangement for anyone to stay at the Ma'sonic. ■ Detective McLeod said that at about 2.30 p m. on July 25 be ana plain” clothes constable Thompson arrested Duncan at the Royal Hotel, took him to the police ■station and there charged him with the theft if oqci from Mr Black. Duncan made no reply to the charges. At 5 p.m. Die same dav Woodward was collected from the Record Reign where he had hooked under the namh of Woods When Woodward was charged with the- theft he declared he had never

been at the Royal Hotel .but had stayed at the Masonic and Jus brother at the Albion. A search of Ins clothes revealed £ll 12s 9d in notes and silver. Asked where he got the money accused said he won it at thoPlain Clothes Constable Thompson corroborated . Detective McLeod s ovidence. In a subsequent conversation Duncan informed witness that he had £53 rolled in his shirt sleeve and it had disappeared. He said that it consisted of two £2O notes and one £lO and the rest in cash, which ho had won on the previous day, having backed Killard and Startle. Detective McLeod intimated that a witness had been subpoenaed from Palmerston North to prove the identity of the notes. He was coming overland by car and could not arrive until this evening. He asked for an adjournment until to-day. The Magistrate accordingly remanded the accused to appear at 9.45 to-day.