THE CHURCH ROBBERS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXX, Issue 15184, 23 December 1909, Page 5

THE CHURCH ROBBERS.

BOYS COMMITTED FOR SENTENOE. The two youths, Thomas Brosnahan and Cecil Herbert Jeffries, who were arrested by Detectives Ward and Gibson in connection with the thefts from churches, appeared at the Magistrate's Court yesterday, and pleaded guilty to six charges, and were committed for sentence.

Messrs W. J. Neate and W. Hayward. Justices of the Peace, were on the Bench. Mr Alpers appeared tor the accused Brosnahan. Accused were charged with having broken and entered the Roman Catholic Cathedral and stolen £3 in money; with having broken and entered the Anglican Church at Opawa, the Phillipstown Anglican Church, St Peter s Presbyterian Church, "Woolston, and St John's Anglican Church, with intent to commit crime therein. The offences were committed between November 7 and Nomember 27. The charge in respect to the Methodist Church, High Street, was withdrawn.

John Joshua Porter, verger at the Roman Catholic Cathedral, said that on November 27, at 9.40 p.m., he locked up the Cathedral, and at 5.30 a.m. on the following day he found the collec-tion-boxes open. One of the windows was open, and there were footmarks on the stonework outside and finger-prints on the window. Eight or nine moneyboxes had been broken open, and he could swear that there was money in the boxes prior to their being ransacked.

Mr Alpers said that the boys admitted that they gained entrance by the window. David Livingstone said that on November 29 Jeffries saw him in Manchester Street, and asked him to change £3 2s in small money into bigger money. He said that he won it at a "two-up" school. Witness changed the money. He received 2s for changing the money. Detective Gibson sai<T that the two accused were arrested on December 13 at Molesworth Station, and when charged admitted the offence. To Mr Alpers: Lately the boys had been too fond of billiard rooms, and he attributed their downfall to that. Before that nothing was known against them. The boys had told him that some months ago a strange sailor had suggested the robbery of churches, and some time afterwards they put the proposal into practice. Evidence was given by Mary Elizabeth Ensor, who said that on November 8 she found a window in the Phillipstown Church which had been closed on November 7, open. The window had been forced open. The collection box and the mission box had been forced and neither had any money in it. She could not say if the boxes had had any money in them before being forced.

Mark Bishop, caretaker of St Peter's Church, Ferry Road, said that on November 7 he locked the church securely, but on the following day he found that a window had been forced open and also the contribution box. He was certain there had been no money in the box.

Rev Henry Williams, clergyman at the Anglican Church, Opawa, said that on November 12 the church was securely locked, and on the following morning he found that a window and the collection boxes had been forced open. He could not say what money had been in tho boxes.

William J. Timma, verger at St John's Church, Ohristchurch, said that ho locked the church on November 16, but found on the following morning that a window had been forced and one of the doors had been opened. The cupboards in the church had been disturbed, but no money was taken, there having been none in the church that night. Detective Ward stated that the accused admitted all the _ charges, and signed statements, covering similar offences in regard to other churches. Mr Alpers applied for bail. He said that everj- effort was going to be .made to obtain probation lor the boys, and if they had to spend ;: a (fortnight in gaol the value of that probation, if it were obtained, would bo discounted. Arrangements had been made for the boys to receive a private flogging, probably under police supervision. Bail was allowed in two sureties of £25, one for each boy.