RAMARAMA SENSATION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 20115, 28 November 1928, Page 15

RAMARAMA SENSATION.

ACCUSED BEFORE COURT.

SEVERAL CHARGES ADMITTED. ASSAULT ON ELDERLY WOMAN. [BY TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT.] PUKEKOIIE. Tuesday. That he was responsible for the sensational occurrence at Bamarauia on the night of Monday, November 12, was admitted by Frederick Thomas Kelly May, in the Pukekolio Police; Court this morning. when lie pleaded guilty before Messrs. D. R. Hamilton and A. I*. Davsli, J.P.'s, to a charge of committing rapo, to obtaining a cheque by menaces with intent to steal tho cheque, and to steal ing a ring, a gold seal, and two suitcases. He also pleaded guilty to the theft, prior to tlio other offences, of 16* in money, tho property of John Morgan Sharp, of Raniarama, r.nd of a bicycle, the property of Joliu Cecil Poland, of Alfris» ton.

Tho victim of the crime on November 12, a single woman, aged 67 years, living alone on tho Great South Road at Ramarama said that accused ca'led at her house on the morning of November 7 and at his request she gave him a cup of tea. On Monday evening, November 12, sho retired to bed between seven and eight o'clock. Sho heard a knock at the front door, and then ono at the back door. Sho called out: "Who is them?" A voice replied: "Mr. Clark wants to speak to you." There was a Mr. Clark living at Rnnciman, about two miles away. She replied: "I am in bed, but I will got up. ' Sho went to the front door, and, seeing no one, stepped on to the verandah and called out: "Is anyone there ?" Tliero was no reply, so sh» returned to bed. Masked Man in Room. Witness then heard another knock, so went to the front door, meanwhile switching on the lights. Again she saw no one. Sho again returned to her bedroom and noticed tho door of tho bathroom, .which Mas off tho bedroom, slightly open. Off tlio bathroom was another bedroom. Sho switched on the light in the bathroom and looked into the second bedroom. Sho saw a man standing there with a handkerchief tied across his face under his eyes, concealing tho lower portion of his features. Sho asked: "What are you doing here?" She thought ho replied: "Go back to bed." Sho did not connect (he man then with a man who had called at her house on November 7. Sho noticed tho intruder was wearing a dark suit and well polished black boots.

Witness went back to her bedroom and then 1 tried to escape out. of the back door, but was prevented by the man. She tried to call out, but he said: "None of that. I have a pistol." He, then said he would go if sho went back to bed. Tim man went into the bedroom too. Witness described what happened. Ransacking the House. The man then pulled out a drawer of a chest in tlio room and examined the contents. A diamond ring, produced in the Court, was at tho time either in tho drawer or 011 a tray on the dressing table. A gold crest, produced, was either in the writing desk or on tho writing table. Tho value of tho ring and the crest was about £4.

The man then asked where witness kept her purse and whether sho had any money in tho house. Ho found all tho money she had, 2s 6d, on tho dining room table. At the s*ime time ho discovered her chequebook. He said: "How much m<>n«y have you got in the bank ?" Her answer was that she had £4 or £5. He said lie wai.'ed £2 ss, "as it was near Christinas time," and compelled Iter to write'him a cheque for £2 2s 6d, the 2s 6d which ho had taken in cash being deducted. lie gave tho namo "Robinson" for her to enter 011 the cheque as payee. The intruder put the cheque in a brown pocket wallet, similar to ono produced in Court. He went, through all tho bedrooms in the house. Ho then left by the front door, instructing her not to switch off tho lights until ho whistled. Two Suitcases Missing.

Early tho following morning witness went to a neighbour's wife and informed her of what had occurred. She discovered that two suitcases, containing somo writing pads and some soap, had been stolen from the front bedroom. Witness was satisfied that accused was tho man who was at her house on November 7. On that occasion accused s.iid ho had been working for a farmer at Bombay. As far as she could remember, tho intruder at her house on November 12 was dressed similarly to the man who was there on November 7. She had not yet recovered from tho injuries slip had received. Tho neighbour to whom tho occurrence was reported said the previous witness called at her house about 6.30 a.m. on November 13. She asked her to ring the police, telling her what had happened. Accordingly witness telephoned the polico and reported tho matter. Evidence of Other Thefts.

John Morgan Sharp, farmer, aged 86 years, gave evidenco of accused being at the residence of the first witness on November 7. They were both given a clip of tea. Ho went out. Accused remained in the house. Later witness found about £1 in silver was missing from his bach, whi' h was at tho rear of tho house.

John Cecil Poland, of Alfriston, said that on the evening of November 6 he Attended n political meeting at Mannrewa, leaving bis hicyclo under a hedge just off tlin footpath on the main road. After tho meeting the bicycle was missing. Tho bicycle at the Court was his. He had not seen it in tho meantime

Constable Higgins, of Pukckoho, said ho f.nind the bicycle produced in Court pushed under some honeysuckle along tho drive leading from the road to the bourse at Hamarama where the crime was committed on November 12.

Detective Knight, of Auckland, said on November 21 lie. brought accused to Auckland from W'haiigarci, where, lie was arii -ted (,n oilier chaises. Taxed with tlw I resent charges, accused admitted tliem. 'J hf tin/, iiti'l ollior articles were foil tic' in Ins possession A" used was committed to the Supremo Chuil for sentence ori tin* major charges, l or Mealing III,; bicycle ho was sentenced to m ven days' .rnprisonmenfr On a ihngi: <«f Mealing another bicycle it? April, belonging to a native, lie was remanded to appear at tlio J'ukekolic Court on December 5