ALLEGED THEFT.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLII, Issue 7386, 12 February 1902, Page 2

ALLEGED THEFT.

In the Police Court this morning, before Mr H. Eyre Kenny, S.M., Mary Jane Hurliman was charged with having at Normanby, on the 6th February, entered the house of Mary Ann Towers, and stole therefrom household effects (bucket, hammer, skirt, saucepan, broom, and tin bowl), of the value of £1 10s 6d ; also two £1 bank notes, and some silver coins. Mr Welsh appeared for accused. Sergeant Bernard stated the case for the prosecution, and called Mary Ann Towers. She said she had been away from home from the ttlst January till laßt (night. Her son and granddaughter remained in the house. On her return she missed the several articles mentioned. She bad not authorised Mrs Hurliman to take the things, neither had she given permission to accused to take things from the garden. The money stolen consisted of two £1 notes and three half-crowns.

To Mr Welsh : Witness was often absent from home. Mrs Hurliman had not, so far as witness knew, been in the habit cf getting vegetables from witness 1 garden during witness 1 absence. If she had done so, witness would have objected. No one slept in witness* house during her absence.

Jane Bead saw Mrs Hurliman on 6th inst. in Mrs Towers' garden. Witness was at her own gate with a lady friend. Accused went to the house and opened a small window. She stood for a while, and then put her head through the window, as though she were lifting something out. Witnesß saw her put something into a kit and then go away. Witness saw her carry away a straw broom like the one produced. She went towards Mrs Baldwin's house"

To Mr Welsh : Witness never saw Mrs Towers' window open before. Would swear the window was closed when Mrs Hurliman went to it. Accused made no attempt to hide the broom she was carrying. On the morning of the Bth witness saw Mrs Baldwin carry a broom in through Mrs Towers' side gate. She put the broom by the window.

By the Court : Witness was on good terms with accused.

Isabella Baldwin saw Mrs Hurliman ori the 6th between 12 and 1. Witness went to her house and asked for' a cabbage. Mrs Hurliman said she would go down to Mrs Towers and get one. Witness accompanied her to Towers' gate, and then said that she had never been on the premises in her life and would not go in. Accused said " Don't be a fool, come en," and witness went into the garden. They cut four cabbages and accused suggested taking some beet-root and peas and beans. These accused helped witness to pick. Accused then went towards a window of the house, and witness saw her draw the netting away from it. Accused Baid, " Come here, and I will show you something. Witness replied, " Oh, my God ! What, are you doing, Mrs Hurliman?" Witness rose up, but her skirt caught on something, and she fell down. When she got up, she saw accused taking the things produced out of the window. Witness then left, and accused followed with the things. Afterwards the stolen articles were left near a hedge in witness' place and the following morning she took them back to Mrs Towers'.

Under cross-examination by Mr Welsh, witness said that she had told a falsehood to Sergeant Bernard to shield Mrs Hurliman from her husband. She told the sergeant she had bought some meat from the butcher, but as a matter of fact she got the meat from Mrs Hurliman.

(Left sitting.)