CHARGES OF THEFT

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVII, Issue 157, 4 June 1937, Page 12

CHARGES OF THEFT

PLEAS OF GUILTY ENTERED. Appearing before Messrs J. T. Bosworth, and W. G. Ashworth, J.P.’s, in the Magistrate’s Court at Palmerseton North yesterday, Malcolm John Williams, a joiner, aged 23, faced four charges of theft. They were that, on May 4, 1937, at Feilding, he stole 10s, the property of Sarah Alice Pedersen; that, on May 7, 1937,. he 6tole 7s 6d, the property of' Sarah Ann Pedersen; 'that,- on May 3, 1935, at Feilding, he stole £4, the property of William Wallace Dunn; and that, on May 28, 1937, at Feilding, he stole £lO, the property of James Igoe. Mr G- Kells, appeared for accused, and Detective-Sergeant Meiklejohn conducted the case for the police. Evidence was given by William Wallace Dunn, hairdresser, of Feilding, that he formerly boarded at a residence in Kimbolton Road,_ where accused shared a room with him. On the Sunday afternoon of March 3, 1935, witness went out, leaving behind in his room money in notes, cheques and silver. Next morning he found that £4 in notes was missing.

James Igoe, a farm labourer, testified that he at present, resided with Mr Pedersen at Kimbolton Road, Foilding. Before retiring to bed on the night of May 28 he left £4l in notes in a wallet in his trousers pocket, and also some silver. Accused shared the room with witness, who next morning discovered that two £5 notes were missing. Next night witness noticed that accused had a new pair of shoes bearing a certain firm’s name. Witness made investigations and, as a result of what he learned, reported the .matter to the police. Mrs Sarah Alice Pedersen gave evidence that accused had been a boarder at her place for about five months; lie had arranged to pay 25s a week and this he had done till about three weeks back. About six weeks ago arrangements had been made for accused to pay £1 a week. On May 28 the sum of 30s had been paid; on May 29 witness and her family had left with Mr Igoe, a visitor who slept in the same room as Williams, for the Foxton races, accused having gone out just before. The party returned at 9 p.m. or later. About three weeks ago a 10s note had been missed from a box on the mantelpiece ; accused was present when the loss was mentioned. Three or four days later 7s 6d was missed from the same box, which had since been placed in a drawer in witness’s bedroom. On May 29 accused had stated that lie was going to purchase a pair of shoes. Accused had always been well-behaved in the house.

Sergeant Angland, of Feilding, in evidence, stated that on May 31 he had received a complaint from James Igoe, reporting the loss of £10; he made inquiries and the following morning received a complaint from Mrs Pedersen relating to the loss of a 10s note and 7s 6d in silver. On June 1 he visited the lodgings of Williams and informed the latter of the inquiries being made. With accused’s consent his belongings were searched; accused produced the sum of 4s 9d and a lurther sum of 2s was found in his clothes. Asked to give an explanation of the money, he had received and spent, accused refused to do so; he refused to accompany witness to Palmerston North in assisting to make inquiries Witness then informed accused that he was arresting him and charging him with the theft ot LIU, the property of Igoe; he made no comment, but in Palmerston North made a voluntary statement (produced) admitting his guilt in which he stated that he had burned one ot the two £5 notes taken from Igoe s wallet. Witness recalled that ,in March, 1935, he had interviewed accused in connection with a complaint received from William Wallace Dunn that £4 had been stolen, when accused had made a statement to witness, but refused to sign it. The next day lie had made a further statement (produced), which he refused to sign. To Mr Kells, witness said he had known accused for about four years. His conduct had been quite satisfactory with the exception of these complaints. Detective-Sergeant Meiklejohn, in evidence, stated that on June 1 last lie had interviewed accused about the matters before the Court; accused was very candid about all the offences. He had said he could account for about £9 15s of the £lO stolen from Igoe. In addition to the amounts mentioned to Sergeant Angland, accused had said he had bought a watch for £2 15s and spent 14s 6d in sundry amounts. In regard to the theft of £4 from Dunn, accused had made a statement, which he said was true and signed (produced). He frankly admitted stealing the money. He made a further signed statement admitting the theft of 10s and 7s Gd from Mrs Pedersen.

This concluded the evidence and accused pleaded guilty to all the charges, and was committed to the Supreme Court at Wellington for sentence. Bail was renewed in accused’s own recognisance of £25 and a surety of £25, accused to report every second clay to the police.