A NEW ZEALANDER IN TROUBLE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 13048, 13 December 1905, Page 6

A NEW ZEALANDER IN TROUBLE.

A RUINED CAREER.

[FROM OUR OWN" COBBKSrONUENT.]

London, November 11. Before Mr. Deiunan, at the Marylebone Police Court-on Thursday, a young man, of smart appearance, named Charles Braithwaite, aged 29, residing at 3, Lanark Villas, Maida Vale, but recently from iNew Zealand, was charged on remand with stealing three gold rings and two gold bracelets, valued at £25, the property of Miss Maud Marriott, an actress, living at the same address. Mr. Huntley Jenkins appeared on behalf of the accused. The jewellery was missed on October 28. Three days later, it appeared, Braithwaifce sold one -of the rings for 10s, and the two bracelets for lis, to different pawnbrokers in the Edgeware Road, representing, that they were presents which" had been returned to him by his young lady. He was arrested by Detective Ghilds, and then'he said lie must have been drunk when he took the articles. Detective-Inspector, Stockley stated that |, Ms inquiries showed that: the accused was very, highly connected in New Zealand, and that -only came to this country six weeks ago with the object of obtaining o. -7UC literary work. He received when he , ar.-iv.d a sum of £50 or £60, and this appuM-n ly lie at once began to spend in drink. ...;e was, in fact, in -a half-dazed n-nr.ditiori when he was arrested. His siictMent was that he had no recollection of tin rings that had not been recovered, . r\d witness was under the impression that he gave them away while in a muddled condition. i Mr. Huntley Jenkins made a strong appeal to the magistrate to deal leniently with the accused for the sake of his, relatives and friends, who were in a high social position in New Zealand. Money, he said, had been cabled over to England, and ,if the magistrate could see his way to take a lenient course, the accused would. at once bo sent back to New Zealand, and any doss which i the prosecutrix had sustained would be made good. A sister of the accused was called, and spoke of her brother as a clever writer of songs and poems. The Magistrate remarked upon the reprehensible conduct of the pawnbrokers iu, buying the jewellery for a few shillings, and he said their conduct ought to be inquired into. The prisoner had destroyed his career in England, and, in the circumstances, his sister would be bound over to , bring him up for judgment if called upon. The necessary recognisances were at once entered into, and the prisoner was then, released.