BICYCLE THEFTS.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXI, Issue 4512, 13 November 1901, Page 3

BICYCLE THEFTS.

A MAN WITH MANY ALIASES. At the Stipendiary Magistrate’s Court yesterday afternoon, before Mr Haseldcn, S.M.', Leonard Nation, alias Power, alias Harrington, alias Gardener, alias Prosser, was charged on the information of the police with haring on November Ist, at Wellington, stolen one Hollis bicycle, of the value of £ls, the property of Henry .Turns; and, further, with, on the same date, at Wellington, having stolon a bicycle of the value of £2l. tho property of Marshall Donnelly. The accused was undefended. SubInspector Wilson conducted tTI? case for tho police. Marshall Donnelly, accountant, stated that at 5 o’clock on November Ist he had placed his bicycle in tho washhouse at the rear of his residence. The machine was an Adams Star bicycle, and tho one produced was his. Ho had locked tho door of the wash-house, and next morning the bicyo'e was gone. The handles and scat of his bicycle had been transferred to the other bicycle in Court. Witness had never scon the accused before. Henry Juriss stated that ho lived about a hundred yards from tho previous witness’s residence. On the night of November Ist ho bad put his bicycle in a shod, and had missed it next morning. Tho machine produced was his. The handles and scat had been transferred to Donnelly’s bicycle. Arnold Baxter, steward on tho Tarawera. stated that he identified tho accused as a man named Prosser, who had been on board the Tarawera on tho way to Christchurch with two bicycles, both booked for Christchurch. Detective Boddam said that on Saturday, November 2nd, ho had boarded the Tarawera at Wellington wharf/ and found the bicycles produced on the deck. Both wore labelled " Prosser, Lyttelton, via Wellington.” 0.j.0. had searched for tho accused on board, but could not find him. On November 6th witness had gone to a carpenter’s shop in old Customhouse street, formerly occupied oy the accused, and had found a number of strips of calico similar to the wrapping on the bicycles and a letter addressed " Mr Leonardo Mazzcone, Willis street, Wellington.” The accused said he wished to plead guilty. Ho was then committed to the Supreme Court for sentence.