breaking and entering

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXIX, 25 January 1936, Page 6

breaking and entering

THREE YOUNG MEN COMMITTED FOR SENTENCE

Three young men from Christchurch who were swagging through to Nelson were, yesterday afternoon in the Magistrate's Court, committed for sentence in the Supreme Court on a cluuge of breaking and entering. Mr. T. E. Maunsell, S.M. was on the bench. The accused, John Francis Patterson, a<r C d 23 years, James Charles Yeoman, aged 23, and Cyril 1 Edmond Young, a»ed 20, were charged that on 13th January 1030, at Clarke Valley, Korcrc, thev did break, and enter by day the dwelling house of Frederick Alonso Knowles Price situated at Clarke Valley, and did steal therein one tin plate,' one knife and fork and one tin of beef to a total value of 4s, the property of the said Frederick Price. Frederick Price, sawmiller, gave evidence that he left home at about 7.30 o’clock in the morning on 13th instant, the place being thoroughly locked up. When he returned in the evening a window was broken and (here was evidence that someone had been in the house The front room had been ransacked. Articles had been taken, all of which he had received back except the beef. Charles Palmer, farmer, of Clarke Valley, said that he lived next door to Price. On the morning in question he had seen a man (identified) getting out of a window, from whom he took a plate, knife and fork. Constable A. J. Austin said that with Constable J. IT. Houston of Wakefield he called on the accused, and Patterson made a statement in which he said that they wore swagging, and being hungry, broke in for food. They bad no money and had had nothing to eat since the evening before. They were all of Christchurch. Constable Houston gave similar evidence. The three accused pleaded guilty and were committed to the Supreme Court tor sentence.