POLICE COURT NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20208, 19 March 1929, Page 14

POLICE COURT NEWS.

HIDDEN JEWELLERY STOLEN.

THEFT FROM BOARDING HOUSE.

SIX MONTHS' IMPRISONMENT. Gold jewellery, valued at £l6, which had been hidden in a box above a wardrobe in a room in a boarding houce, was stolen by Gerald Thomas Silk, aged 51, labourer, married, who pleaded guilty when charged with theft in the Police Court yesterday. His colleague, John Albert Sanuielsoii, aged 24, an American labourer, who was coupled with Silk in the charge, also pleaded guilty. It was explained by Mr. Sullivan, who appeared for Samuelson, that he did not steal the jewellery, but pawned some of it for Silk. The theft occurred on February 24. Police evidence showed the jewellery was hidden on top of the wardrobe byMary Ann Tomlinson, the boarding houso keeper, in tho room lot by her to Silk and his wife. One gold brooch was pawned by Samuelson for Silk, and was traced bv detectives.

In pleading for leniency for Samuelson, Mr. Sullivan also spoke for Silk, who was unrepresented by counsel. He pointed out tho temptation that was placed in Silk's way by the jewellery being put on top of the wardrobe, iho man had been pushed for money, and had yielded. "Tho jewellery can be got back," Mr. Sullivan saicl. Chief-Detective Hammond: I am afraid it is in someone's melting-pot now. Both accused were convicted. Silk was sentenced to six months' imprisonment and Samuelson was ordered to come up for sentenco if called upon within six months.

ROOM-MATE'S WALLET STOLEN. Within three weeks after stealing a wallet from the clothes of his room-mate in Wellington, Benjamin Peter Martinson, aged 21, "labourer, was arrested in Auckland. In tho meantime, however, ho had married and had taken up his residence at Kohimarama. When charged with theft, accused pleaded guilty. The. wallet contained one dollar and £l, and belonged to Stanley Jones, of Wellington.

Chief-Detective Hammond said if, was a mean theft. As soon as lie had stolen the wallet, Martinson evidently cleared out of Wellington for Auckland, where lie met a girl and a wedding followed. Leniency was asked for by Mr. Hall Skelton, who said accused was sorry for what he had done.

"I will convict accused and order him to come up for sentence on June 17," said Mr. E. C. Cuften, S.M. "If everything is running smoothly then, he need not appear."

FEW HOURS OUT OF GAOL. Released from prison on Saturday, Thomas Martin, aged 53, fireman, was arrested a few hours later on a charge of being disorderly while drunk at the railway station. A further charge was that accused had broken tho terms of his prohibition order. "Celebrating his release—that is what ho was doing," said Senior-Sergeant O'Grady. "lie was no sooner out than ho was in again. Ho had just finished a term for breaking his prohibition order." On tho first charge tho magistrate convicted and discharged accused, while on the second ho convicted him and fined him £2 "I do not want to send you to gaol for a. long term." he said. "Default will be fixed at seven days' imprisonment. "■ ALLEGATION OF ASSAULT. To enable inquiries to be made by the police, James Patrick Osgood Carroll, aged 27, labourer, was remanded for a week on a cliargo of assaulting John Craig, caretaker of a public convenience at Newton. Bail was allowed.

Asked by the magistrate whether tho assault was a bad one, Senior-Sergeant O'Gradv, said Craig was assaulted in a callous fashion. It was alleged it was a drunken affair.

USE OF BAD LANGUAGE. "Sorry, sir," said John Stinton, aged 50, when charged with using indecent language to a constable in Burke Street. Newmarket. "Really, I am shocked at the charge; I cannot remember anything." In fining accused £5, the magistrate said he appreciated the position of accused, but he thought he would have to wake him up with a fine ho would remember. On charges of drunkenness and using insulting language, accused was convicted and discharged.