CRIMINALS PUNISHED.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 15155, 20 November 1912, Page 5

CRIMINALS PUNISHED.

THE YOUNG BAG-SNATCHERS.

TWELVE MONTHS IN GAOL.

DECLARED TO BE "HABITUALS."

A NUMBER of prisoners came up for sentence before Mr. Justice Chapman at the Supreme Court yesterday. The youthful bag-snatchers, who created so much disturbance in Auckland recently, William Frederick Murray, alias Stanbroke, and Sydney Power, were sentenced to 12 months' imprisonment on each of five charges of theft from dwellings, the sentences to be. concurrent. They were also' declared to be habitual criminals. The Crown Prosecutor stated that Murray was about 19 years of ago and Power 20 years old. Both had been inmates of an industrial school in Middlesex, England, and hud already, since their arrival in New Zealand, been sentenced to six months' imprisonment upon 16 charges of theft. They had made a practice _of visiting offices, and dental and medical rooms, from which they stole ladies' handbags, etc. Murray, although the younger, appeared to be the leader, but really there was not much to choose between them.

His Honor remarked that the boys were inclined to be deliberately dishonest preference to seeking honest work. The onlv thing he could do was to see that they were placed in such a position that they would bo under restraint and observation. Ho therefore sentenced them as indicated.

BIGAMY AND FALSE PEETENOES.

REFORMATIVE TREATMENT.

Nellie Eramelyne Christian, a woman of 29 years of age, described by the police through the Crown Prosecutor as " an unmitigated liar," came up for sentence upon charges of false pretences and bigamy. It appeared in connection with tho former charge that eho went to tho Bank of New Zealand in Auckland and, securing a cheque book, asked that her account be transferred from Hastings. It had been found out that Christian had no banking account, but before this was discovered a cheque had been cashed. The accused asked that she bo not committed for detention, but be sentenced to a term of imprisonment with hard labour. Her request was not acceded to, His Honor ordering the accused to be detained for a period of four years for reformative treatment on each charge, the sentences to be concurrent.

" PERVEBTED INSTINCTS."

SENTENCE DEFERRED

Mr. Wvman, counsel for Alfred Frisken, a young man, guilty of an indecent assault, pleaded that the accused > had no previous convictions, and had, in fact, led an exemplary life up to the time of the present lapse. His downfall had been due to drink. , . .. Evidence as to the good conduct of the accused, who for some time bad acted as verger at a church, was given. His Honor remarked that in cases like the present one, where there was no violence, it was not the punishment for the crime that had to bo considered His duty was to protect the young children from the attentions of men with perverted instincts. Sentence was deferred.

BREAKING AND ENTERING.

EXEMPLARY PUNISHMENT.

\ term of two years' imprisonment, with hard labour, to* be followed by throe years' reformative treatment, was imposed 'in the case of Edwin Foulds, guilty of breaking, entering and theft. The Crown Prosecutor remarked that Foulds was fully qualified to be declared an habitual criminal.

GIVEN ANOTHER CHANCE.

ADMITTED TO PROBATION

A young man, nearly 21 years of age, Wilfred Alfred Hicks, guilty of forgery and uttering, was admitted to probation for three years, on condition that ho did not go to races and did not gamble. Ho was also instructed to reside- with his father until further orders, and was ordered to pay £7 7s costs by monthly instalments of 10s. Raymond Oliver Taylor, who had stolen £1 from a bank book delivered to him bv mistake at Druiry, asked, through Mr. Wyman, that he be admitted to probation. His Honor granted the application, and admitted the accused to probation for two vears, but warned him that at the end of that period he would not be lost sight of. He was ordered to refund tho £1, and to pay. £5 5s costs.

A MAORI OFFENDER. Hakaraia, a, young Maori from Rotorua, where he was found guilty of forgery and uttering, was ordered to undergo two year*' reformative treatment.