MARY'S MISTAKE.

NZ Truth, Issue 99, 11 May 1907, Page 4

MARY'S MISTAKE.

Nicks the Ticker and the 'Tecs. Nick Her.

There was a bit of a scene m the corridor leading from tbe room of detention to the prisoners' dock at' Christohurch Police Court t'other mornmg. A massive, well-propor-tioned girl, who looked about 25, but who said she was only eighteen, was charged with stealing, a gold watch, valued, at £17, the property of Mrs. John Woods, of Cambrid c Terrace. Mrs. Woods was shifting house, and she left the time- \ keeper" h H -n^ing m the wash-house. \ The servant ,at Mrs. East's* next door, Mary McCarthy, had been giving her a hand. Mrs. Woods went away, and on returning, missed the watch, and asked about it, but McCarthy professed ignorance. She said, though, that there had teen a hawker round.' and he may 'have meted it. . Mrs. Woods (wasn't taking any lnr*'ker yarn 1 ; she told the 'tecs., and Bishop and Kennedy found the missing article m fat Mary's box. Then she owned up. At Court she pleaded, guilty, and .Chief 'Tec. Chrystal suggested that as 1 THE BLESSED HARMY wojld be willing to take her perhaps the Court would hand the girl over to their tender mercies for a twelvemonth.. And no doubt the scaly parasites would be gldd to get such a fine looHng. heifer to graft for them for tint period, but Bishop, S.M., wasn't m that mood. He siid that if the girl was a 'first offender he would likely admit her to s probation. As for sending her to a Home he would do nothing pf the kind,, assuming there was nothing against her. She would have a chance of keeping straight m future He would remand her for the report of the probation officer. The accused, -who has been six months m Christohurch, originally came from Napier. On leaving the dock she went into hysterics a»d then fainted, having to be carried into the ad-