THE TROCADERO THEFT

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVII, Issue 10898, 12 May 1921, Page 5

THE TROCADERO THEFT

ACCUSED BEFORE COURT CHARGE AGAINST YOUTH INVESTIGATED. STORY OF THE £5 NOTE. At the S'upreme Court, yesterday, before His Honour Mr Justice Hosking, Alfred Charles Morris, aged 19, pleaded not guilty to a charge of stealing, on or about April 13th, the sum of £ls, the property of George Brett, proprietor of the Trocadero Hotel, Wellington. Mr P. S. K. Macassey appeared for the Crown; accused was defended by Mr O’Regan. COMBINATION No. 1.

George Brett eaid he had gone upstairs about 8.35 p.m. leaving his cash in the safe and a Tucker combination cashbox. There was about £l6, including one £5 note, in it. No one could open the till without a knowledge of the combination. Accused was on duty as a porter. He had been told the combination was No. 1 by the girl in the office- Witness came downstairs about 9.25 p.m. to put the money in the safe. The till was in order, and there was only a poundnote and some silver. Next morning witness asked accused what had become of the money in the till. He said he did not know, and that witness should have locked it in the safe. The hotel wae run on American lines, continued witness. Everyone .paid in advance for bed and breakfast, and must produce a receipt on demand. There were no entries in the register to show that anyone had booked that night. The combination in the lock was changed every day. NOT IMPOSSIBLE TO OPEN. Cross-examined: It yas not impossible to open the till without knowing the combination. He had opened it in 25 minutes when it had been mislaid. Witness searched every room In the house, but could not find him that night. There were other thefts in the hotel but witness did not suspect accused. Augustus Eopalus Miller,. night porter at the hotel, gave evidence that his duties included ' admitting night lodgers, taking cash, and giving change. Witness knew the combination ; it was No. 1. Accused was present when witness opened the till. He saw some silver, a pound note, and a ten-drilling note. His Honour: Could you see any notes if they were under the wooden tray p—No. Counsel for defence: Have you ever opened the till without knowing the combination?—Yes, twice, by accident, during the past four months. - His Honour: Were you trying to open it? (Loud laughter.) MOVEMENTS OF £5 NOTE. William Anderson, third cook at the hotel, said accused gave him a £5 note at 9.15, and asked him to take care of it, saying, if detectives called, they might think he had stolen it from the till. Witness later gave it to Detective Black. Gross-examined : Witness . did not sleep at the hotel. He and accused stayed together in accused’s room —No. 61—that night. His Honour: Did you do that beforeP—Yes;.about a dozen times! Counsel for defence: Did anyone come to the room that night?—No. Detective Black'produced two statements given him by accused, who said he got £5 from Mrs Belcher, the waitress, who owed it to him, and that he had given it to Anderson, who had been “sacked.” Mrs Belcher said Bhe had only given accused a ten-shil-ling note. A third statement indicated that the £5 was a “tote” dividend. JURY INSPECT TELL. In opening his case to the jury, Mr O’ Regan said he was not conversant, with the workings of the till, and expressed a desire to visit it -with the jury.

Hie Honour: We can’t let you go with the jury, Mr O'Regan; we must keep you above (ah^spdcion. (Laughter.)

The hotel “was visited by the jury, who- inspected the till. ACCUSED GIVES EVIDENCE. Accused gave evidence that he went on duty at 5 p.m. His duties comprised charge „of the lift and the office between 8.30 and 9 p.m. There were people coming in and out all the time. He had no key to the office, and had to leave the door open, going and coming. He went up and called the night, porter at 9 p.m. He thought he told him the combination, but it was not always done. He could not eay if the night porter opened the till. A quarter or an hour after he met Bruce Anderson. They stayed together all night. A Mr Murphy came into the room 1 and said he had lost £2, in 'the morning. Then Mr Brett came in and said there was, money missing from the' till. Witness thought if he retained £7, which he had in his possession, he might be suspected, “so I gave £5 to Anderson.”

Witness admitted having given three statements, but, with regard to the £5, he won that at the Trentham races. The reason he made the other statements was that he did not like to admit having put money on a horse, as ho was under age. Mrs Belcher still owed him £6 or £6. His wages were £2 9s a week and found. Witness was sober on the night in question. Cross-examined: He did not book anyone a room between 8.30 and 9 p.m. It wae not difficult to discover the combination, by trying the keys. After seeing Anderson, at 9.15, he went up to the top floor. He returned to his room about 11 o’clock. Ho remembered- telling Detective Black that he had won £47 on the first day, and lost £42 on the second day. The ease was adjourned till 10 o’clock this morning.