POLICE COURT NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18296, 12 January 1923, Page 5

POLICE COURT NEWS.

STEALING AND RECEIVING. THEFTS BY OFFICE CLEANER, Charged with stealing certain lengths of cloth, the' property of H. Scott and Company, Edward Put-land (Mr. Allan Moody) * appeared on remand, before Mr. J. Vv. Poynton, S.M', at the Police Court yesterday. In a statement to the police accused said the only work he had had of late was the cleaning out of offices, for which ho received from 10s to £1 a week. He held the key for the premises ho cleaned, and it was his duty to clean out . the offices of H. Scott and Company, in those premises. He. had cut "various lengths of cloth from rolls in that firm's rooms. He sold the cloth to an Austrian named Devcich. At the time of the theft he was in debt. If given an opportunity he would tnake restitution. Detective Knight said the accused had an excellent reference on him when arrested. On two or three occasions, when the safe was left open, the accused, he was informed, had reported the matter and nothing had been missed. Tne wife and children of the man were in receipt of charitable aid. Mr. Moody made a strong appeal for leniency, and referred to accused's war service. " . Accused was sentenced to three months on one charge and convicted and discharged on the others. _ - , Charges of having received the cloth referred to in the above case, well knowing it to have been dishonestly obtained, were preferred against Andrew Devcich, aged 25 (Mr. Goldstine). James Stark cave evidence of the disappearance of privately-marked rolls of cloth. Edward Putland. who admitted that he stole the cloth, said he went to Devcich's shop in Victoria Street with three suit lengths, and sold them for £2 10s. He went again with five pieces, for which Devcich paid 10s", and on a third occasion he was paid 30s for four full suit-lengths Accused, who pleaded not guilty, was committed to the Supreme . Court tor trial. Bail was fixed at £200.

STEALING KAURI GUM. Stealing kauri gum valued at £9, from a store at Titirangi, was the charge against Harry L. McQuoid, aged 26 now serving a six months' sentence, it was stated" that when the accused was free it was his father's intention to do what he could to rehabilitate him. A sentence of three months' imprisonment, to run concurrently, with his piesent sentence, was passed. '■:■■■ FALSE PRETENCES. : A tall, elderly man stepped into the dock when the name of John Danton was called. Accused was charged with obtaining goods and money to the value of £13 13s from Frederick Fabian by false pretences. It was stated by the police that when interrogated accused admitted his offence. There were five previous convictions against him in regard to charges of false pretence. Accused, who pleaded that these previous charges were all in respect of smal. sums, was sentenced to six months' imprisonment. CHARGE OF FORGERY. Forgery of the name of Civert Moe was the charge made against Harcus Patrick Keogh (Mt. Mouat). Accused was alleged to have forged the signature to a contract form for the insertion of an advertisement in a 'periodical. John Alexander Munro said he employed the accused as an advertisement canvasser, payment being on commission. Accused gave witness a-. contract form and accused was paid his commission. Later events showed that the signature was a forged one. Accused was remanded till Wednesday in order that other charges of a similar nature may be preferred.

SERIOUS CHARGES. The indecent assault of two little girls at Otahuhu' last November was '* the charged preferred against Frederick Harris Willsteed (Mr. Butler). Accused pleaded not guilty, and was committed to the Supreme Court for trial. Bail was fixed at £200. A serious, charge, that of incest, was preferred against Henry Gibbs, an elderly man, for whom Mr. Singer appeared. The act was alleged to have been committed on December 26. The accused was remanded to December 18, at Pukekohe. . - A FAMILY SQUABBLE. Alleged to have struck his wife on the head with a saucepan on January a, David Carmody, aged 33 years (Mr. Sullivan) appeared on a charge of assault.. He pleaded not guilty. Accused's counsel submitted that the wife's injuries might have been caused by a fall. The police pointed ous that she had been in hospital for three days. • Mr. Singer, who appeared for .Mrs. Carmody, said his client wanted protection. There was not much to be gained by fining the man. Mrs. Carmody stated that on the day in question her husband came home, used filthy language, and threw a saucepan at her. She had given him no cause for the assault. She desired a separation. The magistrate bound the accused over to keep the peace for 12 months. A separation order would be granted and maintenance at the rate of £1 per week. DAMAGE TO A WINDOW. • A charge of drunkenness, coupled with that of breaking a window, was preferred against Richard Grimshaw, aged 24. He Was convicted and discharged on the first charge and ordered to pay for the damage. COMMITTED FOR SENTENCE. Charged witli the theft of moneys from the Auckland Education Board, Neville John Gall (Mr. Allan Moody) pleaded guilty. Accused, who was formerly an employee of the board, was committed to the Supreme Court for sentence.