ANOTHER CHARGE DISMISSED.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVI, Issue 17179, 5 June 1919, Page 9

ANOTHER CHARGE DISMISSED.

MISTAKEN IDENTITY POSSIBLE. A charge of bookmaking at Ellerslie raceI course on Saturday was denied at tbe Polico CourT yesterday by Charles Frank Morgan (Mr. A. Moody).' j Detective-Sergeant Hammond said he saw ! defendant near the number board in the centre of the-course with his back to the stand. During the running of the "Great Northern" he saw 15 to 20 persons pass and hand accused something which he j placed in his pocket. The same procedure ! was followed in the succeeding race. When j accosted, he denied the offence, and turned j out his pockets, which contained £24 13s, 'of whrh £4 was in silver, distributed i about his person. "Bookmaking was the I only construction that could be applied to I his"actions," said the witness. I Racecourse detectives S. Kraetzer and I C. Roser gave corroborative evidence. ' Defendant gave evidence that he was a | driver, and detailed correctly how the money found on his person was attributi able to the legitimate winnings of his wife ' and himself. Three witnesses corroborated ; bis statements, j The magistrate said the case must bo I dismissed. The evidence created a doubt ! as to whether the defendant had been betI tin?, and as no record of betting transacI tmns had been found on him there seemed a possibility of mistaken identity.