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New Zealand Times, Volume LI, Issue 11735, 24 January 1924, Page 5

SENT TO GAOL

HOTEL THIEF CONVICTED. NINE MONTHS’ HARD LABOUR. A young labourer named John Asher was brought before the Police Court yesterday on a charge of stealing a gold wristlet watch, valued at £l2 and £2 in money. Detective Walker stated that, on January 15th, he saw the accused outside the People’s Palace Hotel. He did not appear to be acting in a straightforward manner, and when questioned gave his name to the witness as John Wilson, and his address Marion street. At the detective office, however, he gave his real name, and said he had given the watch to his wife as a Christmas present. The owner identified the watch as her property. IT had been left in her room, and no person had any authority to enter and take it. Detective Cooper gave corroborative evidence. Mr W. E. Leicester, appearing for the accused, said his client was prepared to go in the box and give evidence on the same lines as that which he had told the police. The accused, said counsel, was in a gambling house. He had been winning a few pounds, and a man who had had bad luck showed him a watch and asked if he would lend him £2 on it. Accused pulled out the money and received the watoh. Accused corroborated what his counsel had said. He had not seen the man since. Chief-Detective Kemp: You are on probation for three years, are you not? —The accused admitted that he was. What are the~berms of your probation ?—That I am not to gamble or bet and to keep away from racecourses. Isn’t visiting this house in Rugby street gambling?—l suppose 60. The chief-detective stated that thefts from hotels were altogether too prevalent. “Thefts from hotels are very easy to commit, and very hard to detect, and boarders are practically at the mercy of this kind of man,” declared the chief-detective. His Worship (Mr E. Page, S.M.) said the story of obtaining the watch from another man was by no means new. A sentence of nine months’ imprisonment with hard labour was imposed.