ALLEGED ATTEMPTED THEFT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XL, Issue 12362, 29 August 1903, Page 6

ALLEGED ATTEMPTED THEFT.

RESTAURANT PROPRIETRESS SETS A TRAP. j V . • . THE CASE DISMISSED.', ' Mb. T. Hutchison, S.M., heard a case at ■ the Police Court yesterday,; in which a youth named Wm. Herbert was charged j with attempting to steal, on >■ the 23th inst., cix shirts, one box of collars, one pair of boots, one razor, one dozen handkerchiefs, one shaving brush, and a number of neckties, valued at £3, belonging to David Woodside. Sub-Inspector Black, prosecuted..-. ; .-•: ! David Woodside stated that lie slept .with accused at the Railway Restaurant on the • night of the 24th i inst. .There were three beds in the room, and witness left his trousers on the spare bed. In' one of the pockets ho had a ; £l*riote,t;6sv6dl in silver, his own keys, and a* pocket-knife. Waking up at twenty minutes to eight next morning he discovered accused at his box, and on asking him what he was doing there got no reply, but saw accused leave the room. Witness dressed hurriedly and went. downstairs to see his brother. On returning to the room he found accused at his box, which had been opened. Ho then misled Is 6d i from his pocket, and reported the matter to Sergeant Hansen. On the 'Thursday prior. to that Woodside had lost £5 out of his pocket. Mrs.' Woodside, proprietress of the restaurant and sister-in-law to the last' witness, described how numerous thefts had been reported to her, mentioning that one man had lost £3 10s out of his pocket. On the night of the 24th accused paid her Is for a bed and 2d for a hop beer, remarking that that was all he had. She and the last witness had suspected Herbert, and procuring a £1 note took the number and put 6s 6cl in silver in the latter' pockets on the night of the 24th inst. She had detained the accused on ' her 'brother-in-law reporting to her what had occurred." '•"' Sergeant Hansen, in giving - evidence a; to • arrest, .said that all the money that... was found accused was Is 6d... ":; Accused" stated that what woke Woodside was his, opening the door and slamming i( against the box. On the second occasion that he was found at the box he admitted that he ■; was there, but explained that he was getting a Tit-Bits from under the box. He denied opening it, or telling Mrs. Woodside that he had no more money. ' - His. Worship said that he could not wholly rely on the evidence, as a trap had been laid for accused. '.The case would dismissed, •'■■'■ ' .'■':"■' :-'■'*-;■;' 'v:. . ','-'"■.■■ ':'-".t':"