A PICKER-UP OF UNCONSIDERED TRIFLES

Manawatu Times, Volume XLIX, Issue 2298, 17 November 1925, Page 7

A PICKER-UP OF UNCONSIDERED TRIFLES

Wide Range of Articles Left for the Sweeper WOMAN FINED £SO AND MUST LEAVE COUNTRY [Per Press Association.! INVERCARGILL Last Night Following surprising discoveries la a house in Esk Street. Invercargill, recently, a woman named Annie Elizabeth Scott, alias Ethel Allen, appeared in the Magistrate's Court to answer 20 charges of a serious nature. She was accused of the theft of hundreds of articles, some of them rare and valuable, including 42S handkerchiefs, 78 pairs of gloves, jewellery .scores of tulip bulbs, mens’ overcoats, shoes, blouses, women’s underclothing and dog collars. She was also charged with being a rogue and a vagabond. Senior-Sergt. Scandrett, in prosecuting, said a constable had observed the woman at 12.30 one morning in a flower garden. He shadowed her, and when he was questioning her* she suddenly took off her boots and set off down the street.' He captured her after a chase and conducted her to the police station. Here she could not give a satisfactory account of herself and further inquiries were made which resulted in the constable searching her house. Evidence of identification of many of the articles was given by a number of persons. Most of the articles it was stated, had been left in the Town Hall and Theatre, where the accused woman was employed as a charwoman. In evidence the woman said that she had been working as a charwoman at the Town Hall for 13 years and had found many of the articles after dances and similar functiona She thought most of the articles had been abandoned. She also stated she had £4OO in the bank and was saving up, in order to get home to Australia. “Really,” remarked the Magistrate, (Mr G. Cruiclcshank), "she ought to get seven years’ imprisonment, but there is no reason why she should not be heavily fined.” She was fined a total of £SO with £26/10/- costs and witnesses’ expenses One the charge of being deemed a rogue and a vagabond, she was convicted and ordered to .come up for sentence, not to be called upon if she left New Zealand by January 21. ,