MAGISTRATE’S COURT.

Manawatu Times, Volume XLVIII, Issue 3597, 1 April 1924, Page 8

MAGISTRATE’S COURT.

YESTERDAY’S BUSINESS, Mr J, L. Stout, S.M., presided at a sitting of the Magistrate’s Courft yesterday. A BEDROOM THIEF. A bedroom thief, whoso system it was to engage a mom and pilfer from adjoining rooms, met nis fate when George Colemam was charged with being a rogue and a vagabond, in that he was found on the premises of Caroline Prosser, of Fitizherbert Street, at 7 p.m. on March 25.

Detective-Sergeant Quince, in outlining the ;case, stated that the accused, with a pal, engaged beds for me night at the boarding house of Mrs Prosser, The beds, however, v ere not used. The next/ night accused came to the house and was found in a bedroom in which he had no right. Upon being asked his purpose in the house, accused had stated that he was looking for his friend. During accused’s pre. sence in the house, several articles of value had been missed.

Evidence in support of this was heard from Caroline Prosser, proprietress of the boarding-house, and from boarders. Detective Holmes stated that a pawn ucicct was found on accused, and had since been identified as being for a ring recently stolen from the Manawatu Hotel, Fox ton. Accused was a bedroom uniof, and had a bad record. Coleman was convicted and sentenced to three months’ imprisonment. TALE OF A SHIRT. Walter Maxwell was charged that on or about March 25, at Palmerston North, he did steal a shirt, valued at S/G, the property of Benjamin Hislop. Accused, who was unrepresented by counsel, pleaded not guilty. Benjamin Hislop deposed to having missed from his drawer a shirt identi, cal to the one in Court. Ho was not aware that accused was in the house Caroline Prosser, proprietress of the boarding ho,use from which the shirt was stolen, stated that accused had en. gaged a room in the house for the 24 th. The police stated that accused had been keeping company with a convicted thief. Upon being asked if he had anything to say, accused stated that he was given the shirt by his friend, and did not know that it was stolen. He was convicted and sentenced to 14 days’ imprisonment with hard labour. WAS IT PLANTED? - A STOLEN LETTER.

A middle-aged man appeared on a charge that, on or about March 25, at Palmerston North, he did commit the theft of a letter valued at 5/, the pro. jcrty of Muriel Henderson. Detectivc.Serg'oant Quirke appeared for the police, and Mr Cooper for accused.

Muriel Henderson, employed in the office of the Palmerston North hospital, stated that she merely knew accused as an employee at the hospital. All letters for the hospital were brought to her first. Accused had no authority to handle any mail. The letter was of value only to herself. Arthur James Phillips, secretary to the Hospital, stated that the mail was not always received by Miss Hen. derson, but by whoever was on duty at the door. Collection of mail did not come within the scope of accused’s duties.

Detective Russell stated that in company with Detective Holmes, he visited accused upon another matter, and upon turning out his pockets, the letter was discoA-cred among some papers in accused’s inside breast pocket. Accused admitted that he had no author, ity to have the letter ini his pocket, and could offer no explanation as to how it got there. Accused had remarked to his wife.that the letter had been “planted” on him.

For the defence, Mr ..Cooper said that there Avas no evidence of accused having been seen near the office on the day the letter was taken. There was no. motive for such an action, as the letter was of only nominal value. Accused Avas prepared to srvear on oath that he knew nothing of the letter. Upon taking the box, accused said that ho kncAV nothing of how the letter had come to his pocket, and kneAV nothing of the events leading up to its discovery.

In summing up, Mr Stout stated that he could convict accused owing to there being no satisfactory explanation afforded. However, in view of accused’s clean record, and hire fact that letters at the hospital Avere in the habit of going astray, ho would take advantage of the Justice of the Reaco Act, and, by dismissing the case as trivial, give the accused the benefit, though a satisfactory expiana. tion AA-as still lacking.

Accused’s name Avas ordered to be suppressed- _____