GIRL'S FOLLY

Gisborne Times, Volume LXX, Issue 11175, 7 April 1930, Page 3

GIRL'S FOLLY

ARSON TO COYER THEFT. HAD SPENT SOME OF DOWRY. How a young domestic servant took £3 from a chest ot drawers m uer emplover’s house at Time, England. 'to make up for a' deficiency in the' wedding savings entrusted to her by her sweetheart, and then set fire-to the room, was described to Mr. Justice Swift at Lewes Assizes, savs a London exchange. J.n the dock penitent and with bowed head, was'Bessie Violet Wood, 21, who Pleaded guilty to both charges. For the prosecution, air. EricNeve stated that the young woman was employed bv Mr. Gaud, ot Clarendon Villas. Hove, and the mdnev she stole belonged to Mrs. Ladd. She was engaged to he married to a bus driver named Woolford, v> ho. from time to time, entrusted her with money to purchase g o(Jt * s setting up housekeeping. She spent some 'of this for other tilings, and was worried over being £3 short. On September 30, Airs Gadd lelt some Treasury notes in a cash-box m a chest of drawers, and the servant was aware of the fact. Next day she went out herself an d g av<> P“" soner permission to go out for the afternoon, and on her return she found that there had been a lire at the house. , . . . . A tin of paraffin had been hall emptied, and th e fire brigade, became suspicious because they no. tioed that oil wa s floating on the "*The chest of drawers was damaged, but the cash-box was not destroyed. The money, however, was missing, and, when questioned, A\ ood admitted having stolen £3 in notes aim set fire to the place. A neighbour saw smoke coming from the window o the room and gave an alarm, and the brigade found one, room well official report of the damage w ao £l5O, It was found that Moot had £6 in her hag after the tire, and on being questioned she declined that her young man had given hoi the money, and that she knew nothing about the missing notes. bn«was afterwards charged with the theft and arson, and she admitted both accusations, her explanation beinf that she had spent about bland took her mistress’s money to make it up. . , Air. C. Pensotti, on Woods bohall, stated that the marriage with Woolford should have , taken place or. October 12, The. young woman was terribly worried over being £3 short n the money Woolford bad given her for setting up the home, and as she, was very much in love with lum and did not . want to lose him, she did this mad thing. Woolford was still prepared to marry her at the earliest opportunity. The girl sobbed, “I am very sorry for -what I have- done.” ... Judge: “You were a very wicked o-irl. lit is a dreadful crime to set a house on fire, and you are luck> to have found a man to stand by you.” He bound accused over to be of good behaviour.