PECULIAR CASE OF THEFT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIII, Issue 7606, 8 April 1886, Page 6

PECULIAR CASE OF THEFT.

A vkcouar charge of stealing a valuable diamond ring from a lady's finger whilst the owner was asleep in bed was investigated (says the Age) at tha Melbourne City Court on Tueeday. The person accused waa a welleducated and hitherto comidered highly respectable person, named Ada Easby, residing in lodgings, in South Melbourne. She was first brought up on this charge on Monday, the 15th, when she was remanded for a week, to enable the police to trace two £10 notes, said to have been stolen at the same time with the ring. These notes were not recovered. Prisoner, who was undefended, cross examined the witnesses with considerable sharpness. Mary Ann Crough, a toacher of musio, living at 21, Barry-street, Carlton, said on the 3rd instant there was a wedding party at her house, and accused was present as one of the guests. When the party broke up, shortly before two o'clock a.m., she went to bed with witness. On retiring to he: , room witneas showed accused a diam< nd ring which she was wearing, and said Hi e wore it on her finger for safety. It was worth £80. Witness's younger sieter slept in the same room on a uouch, but accused sl>;pt in the same bed. Next morning whoa witness rose she at once missed the ring, and a thorough search was made over the house for it, but without success. Accused, who joined in the search, repeatedly said she had not seen it siuoe the time when it was shown to her in the bedroom. She remained in the house all that day, leaving to go home at about 7 o'clock p.m. On the 10th instant, a week afterwards, she called lat MUs Crough'h house, but made no mention I of the missing ring, although she remained about an hour. Information being given to the police, two ik'tnotivee, Sergeant OMJonnell aud Constable Whitney, proceeded on the 13th to accused's residence, taking with them Miss Crough. On btiing tola that the officers had come to make inquiries about the ring, prisoner again denied all knowledge of it. Sergeant O'Donnell then produced a warrant for her arrest, at seeiug which aho manifested alarm, and said, "Oh 1 you are not going to lock tmo up ; dou't lock me up," at the same time jaking tne missing ring from her pocket. On te being examined by Mies Crough, she declared that three of the stones were missing. Accused, on being requested to do so, turned out her pocket, but the stones were not fouud. She at Heat denied having any luggage, but ultimately pointed out a, trunk, which was searched unsaceesfully. Prisoner remarked that the ring muse have accidentally got caught in the lace of her dress, and in some way dropped into her bag, whore she found ic. Mho said aho bad intended that very day to bring it back to Alias Crough. la cross-examination, the latter admitted that the ring belonged to her aunt, Mrs. Emily Hunt, of Kilmore, and prisoner said she demanded that the latter biiould be written to and made to state whether three diamonds were not missing from the ring when she lont it to her niece. Accused was committed for trial, and on hearing thin decision she fainted in the dock and was carried from the Court.