THEFT ALLEGED

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22412, 7 May 1936, Page 16

THEFT ALLEGED

FAILURE OF CHAEGE PURSE AND MONEY GUILTY OF RECEIVING A charge of theft from the person was preferred against Leslie Murray, labourer, in tho Supreme Court yesterday before Mr. Justico Callan, It was alleged that ho stole a watch and chain and a purse containing a £1 note from Leonard Charles Vincent on March '2B. Accused was charged alternatively with receiving the purse and £1 note, knowing them to have been dishonestly obtained. Mr. R. Meredith appeared for the Crown, and accused was represented by Mr. Noble. Ho pleaded not guilty. Leonard Charles Vincent, waterworks inspector, said ho came to tho city on tho afternoon of March 28. He had three £1 notes in a purse in his lefthand trousers pocket. While in a hotel he saw accused. When ho was about to call for a taxi, accused said ho had a car outside, and witness thought ho was a taxi-driver. Witness said he went with accused to another hotel in a taxi. They sat in the back seat of tho taxi, witness being on tho right-hand side. Witness was about to leave the first hotel when he missed his watch and chain, and complained to a bystander that ho had lost them. Accused was present and told him to jump into tho taxi and hurry to another hotel, where accused would get them for witness. Loss oi Purse Witness added that he missed his purse while at tho second hotel and complained to a constable. While tho constable was talking to accused, witness said he saw his purse being thrown across the bar-room. The constable picked it up and witness identified it. There was £1 left.

Cross-examined by Mr. Noble, witness admitted that he might have given the accused his purse to mind. William John Cooper, labourer, said he saw Vincent standing with another man outside a hotel. He was greatly agitated. Witness saw him again sitting in a taxi, and he pointed to his waistcoat and said: "Oh, my watch and chain." Accused said he could obtain the watch and chain from another hotel which he named. Vincent and accused went to the hotel and witness followed thom.

Witness said he spoke to accused in the bar and asked him if he had the watch and chain. When accused said he had not, witness said it was a case for the police. Accused agreed, and witness went outside and brought in a constable Questioned by Mr. Noble, witness said accused passed some remark about another man taking the watch.

Constable's Evidence Constable Cromwell said that when Vincent complained of the loss of his watch and chain and purse, accused was standing with his left hand in his trousers pocket. When asked what he knew about the matter, he drew his hand out and threw a small object behind his back. Witness picked it up and found it was a small purse, which Vincent identified. Asked how it came into his possession and his reasons for throwing it away, said witness, accused first said he knew nothing about it, and then that he was looking after it for Vincent. Later he said he knew who had the watch and chain, but he was not going to say who it was. His Honor said that if the jury thought accused had a guilty connection with the matter it should convict him on the second chargo. The jury returned a verdict of not guilty on the charge of theft, but guilty on the charge of receiving. Sentence was deferred.