BURGLARY CHARGE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22086, 16 April 1935, Page 12

BURGLARY CHARGE

MEN IN REMUERA HOUSE CONSUMPTION OF LIQUOR ONE LATER FOUND INTOXICATED PROMPT ACTION BY PATROL Two men who were arrested as a result of the vigilance of a patrolman appeared in the Police Court before Mr. F. K. Hunt, S.M., yesterday. Henry Lewis Brennari, aged 42, slaughterman, and William Houston, aged 40, labourer, were jointly charged with breaking and entering the house of Geoi;ge Gladstone Marriott at 2 Waiata Avenue, Remuera, on the night of March 29. It was alleged that they stole a quantity of clothing, foreign stamps, Sunday school text cards, jewellery, footwear, toilet requisites, an attache case, miniature liqueur bottles, ale, cutlery, note books, a- pair of binoculars, a corkscrew, an electric torch, a wallet and a key, of a total value of £ll7 15s. Brennan was further charged with breaking and entering by day on March 25 tho house of Joseph Parkington, 89 Symonds Street, and stealing two suits of clothes, a camera, a pair of field glasses, a silver watch, a quantity of jewellery and a revolver and ammunition, of a total value of £4O. Senior-Detective Hall prosecuted and Brennan was represented by Mr. McVeagh. One Accused Found Intoxicated John Goddard, patrolman, employed by the New Zealand Night Patrol Service, stated in evidence that he was patrolling Waiata Avenue on the night of March 29 when he heard a noise in the grounds of Mr. Marriott's house. He crossed tho street to investigate, with his torch, and at the gate caught sight of a man, who immediately retreated. Witness then found a cardboard box and an attache case, both containing various articles. He remained on guard and asked a woman who passed to inform the police. Witness saw a man pass at tho other end of the street. The man proceeded a short distance and then returned in the direction he had come. The discovery of the accused Houston lying behind the house in an intoxicated condition at 11.45 p.m. was related by Constable Hotham, a member of a party of three constables in the charge of Sergeant Doel. Witness stated that when questioned accused stated he was "just having a rest." "I know now that the accused Houston was under the influence of liquor, but at the time I thought he might have been putting it on," stated Sergeant Doel. When witn6ss asked accused who his mate was, accused replied: "I did it on mj T own; 1 will take the responsibility." Evidence of Owner George Gladstone Marriott gave evidence that his house was unoccupied on the night of March 29. When he returned home the next morning at the instance of the police ho found ample evidence of tho burglary. Contents of drawers were strewn on the floor, and a bottle of brandy and a decanter of wine had been consumed. He estimated the value of the missing property at £l5O. Detective Wilson stated that when he arrived at Mr. Marriott's house on the night of the burglary he found the accused Houston under the influence of liquor. As a result of further inquiries he arrested Brennan on April 6. Witness produced two statements made by Brennan. In the first statement Brennan stated that he and Houston, who had been doing the rounds of hotels drinking together, went to Remuera about 9 p.m. on March 29 to sort out a house where the occupants were absent. They entered the grounds of a Victoria Avenue residence, thinking there was no one home. However, on knocking at the door of tho house, accused was met by a man. Accused then asked the whereabouts of a mythical "Mr. Lawson" and left the house. Events at the House Making sure that no one was at home at Mr. Marriott's house, accused broke a pane of glass in a door and gained entrance. "I only had a bottle of beer at the house, but Houston was drinking brandy," added Brennan. "When we left the house Houston was under the influence of liquor. At the gate we heard footsteps and saw a man in uniform whom we thought was a policeman. 1 had taken one load out and left it on a vacant section." Returning to the house, Brennan said ho told Houston to wait while he (Brennan) .looked to see if all was clear. When he returned to the house there was no si";n of Houston. Brennan, concluding that his companion had left, then made his way through private grounds to Victoria Avenue. At the gate of the house originally selected to be entered Brennan placed in a newspaper holder several articles, including a loaded revolver he was carrying. "I had no intention of using the revolver," added Brennan. "It was more in a spirit of bravado that I carried it." Woman Finds Revolver

In the second statement, dealing with the burglary at Mr. Brennan stated he and Houston decided to break into the house because the occupier was supposed to have a lot of money in the house. Gaining entrance through a skylight, Brennan opened tho door for Houston. They searched the house and collected a variety of articles, including a revolver and a box of ammunition. The finding of the articles, including the loaded revolver placed by Brennan in tho newspaper container, was described by Isabel Daisy Lever, a single woman. She stated she noticed them on March 31. The accused, who pleaded guilty, wero committed to the Supreme Court for sentence. On charges of stealing two bicycles valued at £1 10s and £7 from city streets, Brennan was sentenced to a month's imprisonment, and on a charge of breaking and entering the house of Alfred Willis, Main Road, Papakura, on April 5 and stealing various articles, of a total value of £lO, he was remanded until April 21.