Foxton Line Robbery

Hokitika Guardian, 16 April 1921, Page 1

Foxton Line Robbery

ACCUSED PLEADS GUILTY. PALMERSTON N., April 12. In the Police Court this morning, John Douglas Scobio pleaded guilty to having stolen from the residence of Austin Cyril cigent the sum of £7B 10s. From the evidence it appeared that Bnigent was asleep in his house alone on the afternoon of April 2. He had hung up his trousers, in the pockets of which were notes to the value of about £BO, on the back of the bedroom door. Just after dusk lie was awakened by the creaking oF the door, and on jumping out of bed was unable to see anybody about. On searching his trousers, however, lie found that the money was gone, and ho immediately put on some clothes and went out to search for the thief. Just then lie met the accused coming into the house, and on being asked what h 0 was doing there he replied that “his mother bad sent him for the milk.” On being asked if be bad seen any person leaving the premises be replied that be bad met a man about twenty yards from the house, and Bnigent asked him to follow the man up until he could get bis bicycle. Accused did not return, and Baigent saw him subsequently at his motliei s house. When asked if ho had caught up the mail, he said that ho had, and they bad bidden each other “goodnight” but lie was too big for him to, tackle. When the matter was reported to the police station, however, their suspicions fell on Scobic, and lie was taken to the police station, and after beino- confronted with Baigent admitted that bo lmd taken tho money and bid it, and bo volunteered to show where it was. He was then taken to a section about 400 yards from where the theft took place, and produced tin bundle of notes from underneath a tuft of orass where he bad placed it. On being asked to plead, accused said he would plead guilty to taking the money without any intention of stealing it. Upon it being pointed out to him that that was tantamount to a plea of “not guilty” and would mean that he would have to lie tried for theft at the Supreme Court, lie pleaded guilty, and was committed to the Supreme Court for sentence.