ALLEGED THEFT OF FOWLS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 17311, 28 October 1916, Page 7

ALLEGED THEFT OF FOWLS.

CHARGE AGAINST YOUTH. At tho Magistrate's Court yesterday, before Mr T. A. B. Bailey, S.M., a lad named Arthur Rochford (Mr M. Donnelly) pleaded not guilty to a charge of stealing four White Leghorn fowls on October 12 last, the property of J. W. Faro, and valued at 245. John Wesley Faro, carpenter, residing at Redruth Avenue, Spreydon, said that he was in bed at 11.45 p.m. on October 12. He heard the fowls making a noise and a dog barking from the back of the house. He got out of bed and withdrew the blind, and- saw a man on a. cycle going by tho he/use with a fowl under his arm. Witness dressed and went to his fowl-house, and found that four White Leghorn fowls were missing. He did not know tho accused, whose build however, resembled- that of the man oh the cycle. The fowls wero pullets and were-valued at 6s each. Mrs Faro said that in consequence of what she heard she went to a house in Ward Street and there identified threo of the missing fowls. The birds produced were her property. To Mr Donnelly: The house where sho found tho fowls was about a q*uartor of a mile from her house. Constable Fox, stationed at Addington, gave evidence, and said that when interviewed the accused denied taking the fowls, but had bought them from a tall dark man, who came out of the Crown Hotel. Witness told accused that his mother said the fowls were got from tho accused's aunt live or six months ago, but accused said that statement was incorrect. Mr Donnelly said that the accused's, explanation of how ho came in possession of the fowls was correct. He was seventeen years of age, and had hitherto borne a good character. The Accused giving evidence, denied going to any hen roosts on the date referred to. He said that on leaving work that evening he stopped outside the Crown Hotel and borrowed a pump from a cycle standing there. A man came out of the, hotel and asked witness if he wished to buy the fowls, which wero in a bag. The man asked 75.6 d for them but accused only had 6s and the man accepted that for them. Witness had no reason to think the ■ fowls had been stolen. After hearing, further evidence the Magistrate said that .the case was suspicious, but the evidence was insufficient on which to convict accused, who would be discharged. The fowls wefidd be returned to Mrs Faro..