ROBBERY ALLEGED.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20537, 11 April 1930, Page 14

ROBBERY ALLEGED.

.TWO FIREMEN CHARGED.

COMPLAINT OF ASSAULT MADE.

BOTH COMMITTED FOR TRIAL.

An incident in a licmso in Hobson Street on Friday evening, when a visitor said lio had been®robbed of over £5, was investigated in the Police Court yesterday, when James Daley, aged 34, firemau, and Robert Morton, aged 32, also a fireman, were charged with robbing Charles Darke of £5 15s, with violence. Charles Darke, labourer, residing in Hobson Street, said that after having a number of drinks during the afternoon he was in the public bar of a city hotel when the two accused, whom he knew by sight, camo up and spoke to him. They later asked him to accompany them to the house of a man named Williams, whom witness knew. On arrival they went into Iho kitchen, and after about ten minutes witness took out about £6 in a roll of notes to give Williams £l. Williams then went out, and the two candlos lighting the room were put out by Morton. Daley was then standing, by the table. "I next got a bang on (ho chin from Morton and the other man came behind mo and held my hands behind my back," continued Darke. "I fell down. Morton also struck ru* in the eye, and as a. icsult of these blows I was nearly out. Williams re-entered the room and attended to me. I was then lying on the door. After recovering I found that my money had gone, and all my pockets were turned inside out. I should say there was about 15s in silver and* cither £5 or £6 in notes stolen from me. When I discovered my loss the two accused were in the room. I accused them of taking the money, and they blamed one another for it. Neither admitted striking me, but they did not deny it." The owner of the house, William Henry Williams, said ho heard Darke calling him, and when lie lit the candles he saw Darke on the floor. Ouo of his pockets v/as inside out, and there were two threepenny pieces on the floor. Darke accused Morton of the theft, and Morton said that Daley was responsible.

Constable Moore stated thai in an interview Daley said he was out of tho room and lie beard Morton and complainant scuffling on the iloor. The constable stated that the following day he interviewed Morton, who said that Daley had struck tho man and stolen his money. Mr. Noble entered a plea of not guilty for Daley, while Morton said, "Guilty to my part of the case." Tho magistrate, Mr. F. K. Hunt, treated this as a plea of not guilty, and both men wcro committed to tho Supreme Court for trial.