ALLEGED THEFTS.

Hawera Star, Volume XLIX, 16 August 1929, Page 10

ALLEGED THEFTS.

YOUNG MAN DENIES Oil AIM;US. COURT PROCEEDINGS AT GLTHA.M The (burglary at the Mawerai branch of Messrs Schneideman and Sen, Ltd., on May 19, was the subject of proceedings in the Eltliain Court yesterday, when Janies Alullally, a young man, was charged with having broken and entered the shop and stolen and six overcoats, valued at £7S 17s 6d, and cheques and money to the amount of £9l 9s 6d. He was charged also with receiving a suit and an overcoat valued at £l3 4s 6d well knowing them to have been dishonestly obtained. Detective A. B. Meiklejohn conducted the prosecution, while Mr A. Chrystal appeared for accused. Magnus Manson, suit specialist, Wellington, employed by Schneideman and Co., said on May 19 ho took over from Mr Thompson the management of the firm’s temporary shop in Hawera. At that time the shop had been open, probably a little more than two weeks. Stocktaking revealed that everything was correct and the takings, consisting of £56 3s 6d in cheques, £34 10s in notes, and 4s 6d in silver, were transferred to his care. The handing overtook place about noon on the 19th, a Sunday, but before the men left the shop the takings were placed for safety in an overcoat pocket. On opening the shop on Monday morning lie could not find the overcoat in which the money had' been placed. He immediately wired Air Thompson at New Plymouth and informed the police. When Air Tliompson arrived stock was taken again and the loss, of six suits, six overcoats and one pair of trousers was discovered. Witness identified a suit produced in court as the property oi his firm.

Howard R. Cook, secretary of the firm, said the number on tli© hip pocket of the suit in court agreed with the records of the firm relating to one of the suits missing from the Haiwera shop. Alary Elizabeth Muilally, mother of accused, a widow residing in High Street, Eltham, remembered the finding by the police of a blue serge suit in her house. The coat was in a wardrobe and the vest and trousers under the mattress of accused’s bed. Eor some time previous to the visit of the police, she remembered, accused had been wearing a plum-coloured overcoat, but she* could not swear it was of the same material produced. Her son had worn the Jovlettledat regularly for about a fortnight. Accused was away at the time of the police visit, but that evening she questioned him. “Don’t worry about the suit, mother,” he Lad said, “I bought and paid for it.” Witness said she still worried about the coat, and asked her eon if he had 1 a receipt. Alullally replied that he would look for his receipt, but bad not produced it. In consequence Of other overcoats being seized by the police she took the one in the possession of her son to Airs Mullins’s place, two doors away, but after her tson was arrested she cut it up and burned it in the copper fire. Evidence that the' coat had been brought to her by Airs Muilally was given by Airs Eileen Alullins. Detective Alerklejoihn stated that on July 6, in company with Constable Townsend, lie took possession of the suit from accused’s room. Two- days later hei told Alullally about having found the suit and was told that, it had been purchased at a shop in Union Street, Hawera. On July *4, when interviewed) on another matter, accused had been wearing a plum-coloured overcoat. On July 15, as a result of in-1 formation received, he accompanied I Constable Townsend to the home oil Airs Alullins, and then to accused’s home. Under a search warrant another search was made for the overcoat, but n 0 trace could bo found.

The following day the detective again saw accused, who said he had not left the overcoat at Airs Aluliins’s and reiterated that be had bought the overcoat along with the suit “from a joker in Hawera” for £B. Accused would not volunteer the name of this person. Accused then pleaded l not guilty and was committed to' the Supreme Court at New Plymouth for trial.

RACING GEAR STOLEN. Mullally was next charged with stealing, some time in April, an exercise saddle, a pair of house knee boots, one pair of horse shin and ankle boots, and a scrim /horse cover, to the total value of £8 11. S, the property of Richard Brough, Hawera. On. or about May 21., Jie was alleged to have stolen a pair of trotting boots, a pair of shin and ankle .boots, and a bridle hit. valued at £-1 12s (kl, the property of James R. Corrigan, Hawera.

Accused pleaded not guilty and on these charges was committed to the Supreme Court for trial. After the February races at Hawera Richard Brough, horse trainer, told the court, he missed an exercise saddle, a bridle, and a pair of horse knee boots from his stable in Egniont Street. He identified the saddle easily enough because his name was stamped on the gtilth and in other places. Likewise the knee boots, ankle boots and other trotting gear were recognised at once and identified.

The articles mentioned in the second charge were identified by James Bullock, another horse trainer, of Hawera. The ankle boots lie had' altered especially to fit a certain horse, while two suspension buckles had been attached as extra fittings to the knee boots by witness.

Dealing with the alleged thefts of racing gear. Detective Meiklejohn said on July ID he took possession of a quantity of racing gear at Mullailily’s home, including those articles produced in court. The following day he saw Mullally a.t the New Plymouth gaol and showed! him a list of the gear. Mullally bald said: “That is niy property; 1 paid! for it.” Accused was warned before making a reply.

At the conclusion of the evidence Mr Chrystal entered an objection to all the statements alleged to. have been made by alocu.sed! to the detective in connection with the clothing charges, and those pertaining to the racing gear.