NAPIER COURT

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXI, Issue 211, 20 August 1931, Page 9

NAPIER COURT

(Before Messrs. A. E. Bedford and R. Hay-Ohapman J.P’s.) ESCAPEE CHARGED. A plea of guilty was entered by Leonard John Cookson who appeared in the Napier Police Court yesterday afternoon before Messrs A. E. Bedtord and R. Hay-Chapman, J.P.’s, on two charges, one of breaking and entering the premises of E. McLean and Co., at Waipukurail and stealing articles and money to a total value of £0 Ils 2d, and the Other of escaping from the Napier prison While being lawfully detained there under arrest. After the hearing of the evidence ror the police, the accused was committed to the Supreme Court for sentence. Detective B. Farquharson conducted the ease for the police, the accused not being represented by counsel. James William Olliver, a motor macbanie employed by R. McLean and Company, stated in evidence that he war working at his employers’ prcuipcs on the afternoon in question, when two men called and asked if they could leave their swags there. Witness could not swear that the ac cused was one of the men, because hi did not look at them very Mosely. When ho left the premises at 5 o’click in the afternoon he put the afternoon’s takings into the office safe together With ledgers and other papirs, and securely locked both the safe and tne office.

On the following morning, an returning to the office, which was idjacent to the garage, he found It t a state of disorder and the safe missing. Liter conducting a search he fouu-1 the safe in the nearby blacksmith’s shop with Its b»ck ent open Continuing his search, witness found an overcoat button near the office door. ARTICLES MISSING. William James Btcere, a olerk for R. McLean and Co., said tha‘ ns left tlm office shortly after mid-day on the day in question. Acting on information received ho visited the premucs tbu next day when he saw tho safe to tho b.'sckemith’s shop wito the back cut open. There was no money in it, while a Savings Bank book and a cheque book were also missing. In tho front shop he ascertained that a torch had been taken.

The last witness for the police was Detective B. Farquharson, of Hasting.-,, who stated that on Monday, June 15 last, ho visited the garage of R. McLean and Co. at Waipukurau, whire he made inquiries regarding the theft. As a result of his inquiries, r.ne aedhsed Cookson was interviewed at Wellington, and made a statement to the police there. On July 18 the accused and a man named Hannan Were brought to Hastings and on the following morning Hannan asked witness to read him Cookson’s statement. After doing this Cookson, who was also present, admitted that it was correct. In his statement, Cookson admitted that he

and Hannan had broken into R. McLean and Co. ’s garage and committed the theft. BUTTONS IDENTICAL. The detective continued that an overcoat, which Cookson claimed as his, was found in the possession of Hannan when he was arrested. Witness compared tho buttons on the coat with the one which had been picked up outside the garage, and it was found that they were identical, except for one, which was an odd one. In connection with Cookson ’t escape from prison, William Robert Cook, gaoler, of Napier, gave evidence that qn the day of the escape Cookson was in the exorcise yard with other prisoners. Witness’ attention was called away from the yard at about 3.15 o’clock in the afternoon, ■which was a Sunday. When he retained some five minutes later the accused was not there. Witness searched for him through the corridors and colls, but could not find him. He immediately advised the police of the escape and Bent all tho available warders in pursuit of the escapee, but they returned at. about 10 e ’clock in tho evening with the report that no traces of Cookson could be found. The prison walls were in the course of demolition at the time, and would have been quite easy for Cookson to slip round a corner of the building and bo escape. On August 13 last the escapee was sirested in Auckland and brought back to the Napier prison,