A BRAZEN THIEF.

NZ Truth, Issue 80, 29 December 1906, Page 5

A BRAZEN THIEF.

McKINLAY'S MONSTROUS MESS. Lied Himself out of Probation. The city of Christchurch and its environs has plenty of good, hard-work-ing thieves of its own wit-bout "' importing any of the fraternity from outside. Weekly record's of tlie court demonstrate this unpleasant . fact.,And artistic thieves some of 'em are, too. Also they possess the crimson cheek of the devil, or at least some, of them do. Take the case of Samuel McKinlay who committed a most audacious theft m the boarding house of Mrs Margaret Alice Parsons, the other night. His act was one of beautiful effrontery, but his despoilin"*- career was short lived as he entered the police cells within a Very short time after he had got' away with _)he gonce. McKinlay called at' Mrs Parsons' establishment and asked to see har. On that lady making her appearance he wanted to know if Jade Dunbar was boarding there. On receiving a reply m the negative McKinlav said "Oh, yes, I know he is ; you know Johnny Dunbar." Thinking that possibly there may have teen such a person who had engaged a room ahe went and asked one of the girls, • aod on returning once again told McKinliy that Dunbar wasn't ■ lodging there. But THE OBNOXIOUS FELLOW was insistent, and, saying that he was Detective Ward, he intimated his intention of searching the house. Now, Mrs Parsons happened "to know Detective Ward., and she saw at once that her visitor was an unmitigated fraud, so she peremptorily ordered him off the premises. But the roving rapscallion wasn't done with yet. As Mrs Parsons was about to shut the door he placed, his foot iii and wedg- - ed it ajar\ This didn't trouble hei ♦much as she thought he would soon geto tired of that. She wasn't'prepaired for his last manoeuvre, though. The scoundrel suddenly pushed upon the door and made a dart at the money bag which hung at her sidefrom her belt, and into which she had shortly before placed some money received for board. There were notes, gold, and silver, amoimtin2: m all to about £5 10s. The

VIOLENT. VICIOUS THIEF grasped it firmly, tore it apart from its mooringp, and darted up the street. dike a red shank. But she is pretty smart on her. pins is the saitje. landlady, and she was doing a s^riiifc iv no time, at the same time rafsing a hue and cry "Stop- Thief." People ran after the putrid purioiner, who fell heavily, tearing one of ' the legs of his hrousers and gashing his face. He was collared outside Cockayne's boarding house, and handed over to the police. But while the crowd was sijrging round him he managed (it was thought at the time) to hand the spons over to a mate who had been. waiting outside for him, and the latter got off to enjoy the gold and silver while the principal m the affair was given a free bed-: by a copper. Mrs Parsons detailed the above m her evidence at the 1.1 agis urate's Court, and absolutely swore to the prisoner as being the man who had the unbridled impudence to r-oyr_'-:c-nb himself to be 'Tec Ward. It "was t'ms he didn't have the 'fearful .lookm.T faca he had then, but he wore the. 'same clothes, a' silver chain (which lie m ust have lost when he' fell as ho wasn't wearing it m coiir (0 and .a. red '/iov.'er m his coat. Part' b\ th-\t-'icd' ilo^-or was still there; ;-nd qiscorly ci.'inn.h helped- -to identify, him. The v.i i 7i *ss said she saw a mate waiting fur"' i'-*c-Kdnlay, and who r.tiist have r,ot' the mon*?_^ handed to him', but -.•hc-ws.s cd taken aback at

THE COLOSSAL IMPUDENCE of the thief that she didn't pay. the second man much attention, contenting herself with r tinning •• after the josser who had dona the grabbing trick. Bernice Good, cook— a good cookj no doubt— identified McKinlay, as the joker who called, and who was so anxious to know the whereabouts of his friend Dunbar. She also alluded, among other things^ to llie red flower m his coat. Louis Stuart, a boarder, was another "recogniser."

Jay Pees as a rule are - proud <of their almighty dignity ; they believe that the title (so much laughed at), endows them with colossal power, and occasionally they act accordingly. James S. Gregg is a J. P., and he. stays at Cockayne's private hotel. When. he heard that their e was a, rol> ber outside, and that they wanted -the police, he rushed out and saw prisoner trying to get away from the mob. "I'm a 'Justice of his Majesty's peace," said Gregg dramatically, "and I'll stick to you," at the same time grabbing McKinlay by the scruff of the neck. But as the man still struggled 'the Justice said "I dare you to move from me, sir." A policeman providentially arrived just" then, o_r the old buffer woufS probably have read the Riot Act. Speaking m his own defence McKinlav told an unconvincing stoiry. He said he had been on the tank, and that as he was walking ' up St.. Asaph-streeit he was overtaken by ai crowd, who knocked him over, cutting his face and tearing thc things that, t cover his legs. . Just then Mrs Parsons arrived and said, pointing at him, "That's the man, that's the man," so they paid him an uhdub amount of attention, and collared him., and took him to the lockup. It was all a serious mistake. In answer to Sergt. Norwood pirisoner said he didn't remember being at Mrs Parsons' at all. He wouldn't swear tharti he wasn't, however, as he was as full as a tide He knew nothing about haying represented himself as being 'Tee Ward ; he ran away from no one. Accused then came the respectability trick at the bench, saying that he was a crimeless sort of chap, had worked for some of the best firms i.-i town, and had been m his last job (Hayward Bros.) for three years. He was 'remanded for the probation officer's report. That document was favorable, but it contained a .statement .that after the hearing. of the case' McKinlay admitted to Constable Wilson that he took the purse, hut threw it away when pursued. The const&Mewasn't m court when aco'iised came up for sentence, so. McKinlay was asked if 'he had made such a confession. * He admitted having done so. "Wet!.** said the magistrate, "that is contrary to what you s.iid on oath; but for 1 .hat "so'.t. inuiht h_ue l-oC ;*.robation ; row vo". can 'o •■.> >"' >' l'"-' p .".'.•'.nth." , c o i-i'-ief reached quod l-brr-ufh making a liar cf himself as well.