POLICE COURT NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 13355, 8 December 1906, Page 5

POLICE COURT NEWS.

A SERIES OF THEFTS

At the Police Court yesterday, before Mr. R. TV. Dyer, S.M., a young married man named Thomas Rowe, pleaded guilty to eight charges of theft, and abo two further charges of breaking, entering, and theft. The charges were a* follows:--That on cr about November 30 he broke and entered the .-non of Harry ! Campbell, and stole a quantity of fruit and confectionery, valued at 35.*: that on November 26 he .stole from the shop of George Knox, tobacco and a pipe, valued 9* 3d : that on Nov ember £4 he stole from the shop of Margaret Mooner, tobacco and cigarettes valued at 7s 6d; that on November 21 he stole from the shop of Nicholas Bradonousch, tobacco valued t.t, 2*; that, on November 17 he stole from the shop of W*. Dowding three packages of cigarettes, valued at Is 6d; that on November 19 he stole from the shop of John Olseu a cornet and a ca*e, valued at, £3 10s; that on November 22 he stole from the shop of •lames Jamieson. tobacco and cigarettes valued at 2,5; that on November 2d he stole from the shop of John lVet. tobacco and cigarettes valued at 5, 9d; that on November &> he stole from the City Hotel a decanter full whisky, valued at o- 6u, the property of W. Stimpson; ami that ou November 25 he broke and entered the shop ot Alice Purcell, and stole tobacco ami cigarettes, valued at ii lis.

Chief i Detective Mar.sack explained that accuseds method ol .stealing i«, e gooos Ms mat lie would go into the siiop s,.d asK tor a certain article, ana wjien me shopkeeper supplied him with the articles, h<- would as* lor anotner smalt article, and then clear on wiui me goods which had alreauv been supplied to Jinn.

i>etcctiv« I'. 'J'. McMahon stated that accuseu in rormed him mat he. broke into uampbeu s snop because UampocJi would net lend him any money. Accused said he was hard up ami wanted money tor his wile and lour children On the charges of .stealing trom tho shops and the hotel, accused was sentenced to three months imprisonment on eacn count, am! on the other two tnargw (breaking and entering) accused was committed to the Supreme Court for sentence

CHARGE OF BURGLARY. Three .young men, named Archibald Man son, Adam Swallow, and James Collins were charged with committing burglary in the Wynyard Arms Hotel, and stealing «J a quantity o, iujuor, and cigarettes, *~„,.,; at .«', the . Property of i-retlk. Freeman th.et-Detective Marsack prosecuted. a Air. John Alexander appeared for Collins Swalloi 8 . 11 " I '' a " d Mr. '■ R. Lundon for Complainant, the licensee of the Wynyard Arms Hotel, stated that on November 3d he closed his premises at ten p.m.. . V bot eleven p.m. five men came on to the balcony by the way of (he lire escape, among hem being the accused. Swallow and Co,* hns had ixjen boarding with' witness, m, -Uanson slept at witness' house. Witness locked the bar doors securely at ton pi and on looking about at 11 p.m. witness dial covered that one of the bar doors and the re iS door were open. After witness had retired to bed he heard a noise, but on making ~ ",c ) u ,[ he did not find anything wrong.. About six a.m. on the following dav witness found one of the. bar doors open, an, also the kitchen door. The bar was'- upside down, and the cash in the register wat missing. An automatic machine had also been tampered with. On looking over h goods witness found ( that whisky, schnapps! lie Th ffarS '- -l nd > c,^are "os had been stolen. ,> spirits, etc., produced, were the same as the goods missed. John Donnelly, a. labourer, said that on the morning of ' December 1 witness met Swallow and Hanson at the Wynyard Arms Hotel and had a drink with them/ All three then visited some stables, where Hanson told witness that he had taken some bottles of groff. Swallow was present at the time. Manson also saM that when he was coming away from the hotel he " ran up again" I policeman." : Two detectives then came upon the scene. m'tne^oVrorf 0 " 1 Swallow app€ared to be 'Detective Kennedy said that on the morning of December 1 he found the bar of the Wynyard Arms Hotel in a state of di *' S y' l December 4 witness accused Manson of the robbery, and ho admitted it He also said that Collins and.Swallow had con veyed the drink to the stable. Manson subthen- St the spirits - etc. Witness then took Manson to H he police station, ?hf%u- m ? de , a statement, to the effect, that Collins had informed him that he and Swallow had taken a quantity of liquor from the Wynyard Arms Hotel. Witness afterwards accused Swallow of the robbery and he made a statement, saying that he might have taken part in the robbery, but he did not remember doing so as he was "mad drunk. * , Collins also made a statement. Mr. gander said his clients Would ad.all with the exception of stealing the £2 Mr. Lundon said that there was no evidence- against Swallow. The further hearing of the case was adjourned until this morning.

THE GAMBLING EVIL.

THREE YOUNG MEN FINED.

.. James Roach, and John Charles Lynch were charged with having m ado a. bet with Joseph Irewheela, a boy of 16 years, and William Lynch was charged with assisting his brother in making the bet. with Trewheela. Defendants pleaded- guilty. Sub-Inspector Gordon said the case threw a flood of light upon the gambling habits which lead young fellows astray. He explained that tho circumstances of the case came to light through a complaint from Trewheela employer. The boy had selected two horses for a "double," and asked Wm Lynch to have the bet recorded by his brother. Chas. Lynch had admitted that this was the case. In regards to Roach's case, the sub-inspector said defendant went to where Trewheela was employed and showed him a racecard, inviting him to bet. The boy selection, which was a "double," was successful, and Roach paid him the £4 in return for the shilling. Mr. Gordon further said that people like the defendant Roach going around touting for bets in business places, really tempted shop assistants to manipulate cash. Mr. John Alexander, who appeared for the Lynches, asked for a lenient penalty. hub-Inspector Gordon informed the Court that there was no suggestion of Trewheela having been chsjionest. Mr. Dyer, in convicting the defendant?, said that the gambling habit was a curse to the colony. Defendants were each.fined £2, including cost*. 5

THEFT FROM A SCOW. Edward Aleock, a young man, pleaded not guilty to a charge of stealing from the scow Excelsior-, a quantity of clothing, valued at i 3. the property of John King and William Erickson. Chief-Detective Marsack stated that the Excehior was on the slip at the time of the theft (October 27). All hands were paid off and. left their clothing in the cabin Next morning the captain of tin- scow found that the cabin had been broken open, and a quantity ot clothing stolen. The clothing was afterwards recovered in a second-hand dealer's shop having been sold by accused. Evidence was given in support of the chiefdetective statement Alcooh said that he found a «ai of the pants hanging on a fence in Hobsou-street and as the trousers he was then wearing were torn, he took the good ones. Accused, who is at, present undergoing a sentence for theft, was'sentenced to a further term of two months' imprisonment.

A SERIOUS CHARGE. Louis Byron, aged 20 years, was charged with indecently assaulting an eight-year-old hoy After heaving the evidence, 'accused pleaded guilty and was committed to the supreme Court for sentence.

THEFT OP A HANDBAG. John Potter a young man, pleaded sruiltv to acharge of stealing a handbag valued at <!&•. od the property <■,( Postles and Palmer Mib-Jnspeotor Gordon explained that accused was under the influence of liquor, and snatched the handbag from the complainants' shop hi the Strand Arcade on Thursday Accused was fined 20s, and costs. He was also prohibited for 12 months.

. MISCELLANEOUS. Michael , Tobin. charged with disobeying an order of the Court for the maintenance of Ins illegitimate child, was sentenced to three months' imprisonment, sentence to be suspended so long as defendant, pays 10per week oil' the arrears (£5), and complies with the maintenance order (9< per week). '

Henry Wild, who did not appear, was fined 10s and costs for leaving his vehicle unattended in Hjic-kett-street. Three first offenders were charged with drunkenness, and were each fined 5s and costs, or in default 24 hours* imprisonment.