“ALL CRIMINALS ARE FOOLS’

New Zealand Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 6182, 13 April 1907, Page 9

“ALL CRIMINALS ARE FOOLS’

THEFT PER HANSOM CAR. Quito u thrilling story of theft and vhase per hansom cab was told before Hr McArthur, S.M., yesterday. Tt vuncars that a man named John Carroll (alias Walsh, and itennclly, ami Russell) picked up two rolls of dress tweed, valued at ItlO, outside tlio Euonomie, iu Dambton rjuny. throw them into a cab, and ordered Cabman Lano \o drivo to tlio Manuwutu railway station. Ou the way tho “faro” called for drinks at tho Hotel Cecil. ’When they started off again a man bailed them, conferred with tho man inside, und induced him to change his plans and alight at the Government railway station. Meanwhile a cab containing Constable Lillcy and Jlobert Burns, an Economic shopman, had started in chase, and caught up with tho runaway just as Carroll was lifting tho rolls of cloth out of the cnb. The constable asked Carroll if tho cloth were his property, and ho replied that it belonged to “the man who engaged tho cab/' who had disappeared. This man had not been traced. Accused’s explanation was that this missing man. named Egloy, met him on tho Ma-rnroa o i tho way up from Christchurch, and Mfrere-d him employment in his soft goods business at Palmerston North. Later they mot near tho Economic, r, her© -Egley told him to take tho two rolls of cloth by cab to tho Manawatu station. Ho complied, and thus quite innocently got himself into this trouble. Vr.der cross-examination by Sub-In-spector O’Donovan accused admitted rhat ho had lived in Australia, but denied that ho had been in trouble ■shore, or was photographed by tho police, or that he possessed the aliases attributed to him. A climax was then created by the Sub-Inspector confronting him with a photograph book containing a photograph of himself. taken bv tho police at Adelaide. “That is not mo.” said accused. But attached tho photograph wore descriptions of tho accused. “Show mo your loft hand,” demanded tho Inspector. The accused held it out. “There you are: t>ft forefinger tip deformed. Open vour mouth.” Accused complied. ''Front tooth missing, right- side lower jaw.” Again tho description fitted. '‘Does your Worship think that is his photograph?” asked Mr Wilford (his counsel). “T do,” replied his "Worship passing sontonco of three months, I her Mr Wilford complained of tho stupidity of clients who concealed from their lawyers everything that was against them and told only what was in their favour. “It only confirms,” he said, “tho saying that bill criminals are fools,’ ”