THREE PRETTY RASCALS.

NZ Truth, Issue 99, 11 May 1907, Page 6

THREE PRETTY RASCALS.

A' sneaking vagabond named Thomas Bell, who doesn't seem to be able to leave other people's property, alone, came Ijefore Judge Chapman at Christchurch to be sentenced for breaking and entering.. He saM he bad been m trouble before, and was at present doing ja stretch of twelve months. He had done some thieving m the past, but said that he hadn't made a living at tbe game. By which the fellow meant that he wasn't a professional thief"; probably he followed thc~ business as. a pastime. Boozer Bill put , down all his troubles to boor tapping- ,On this cccasii-on- be bad been scoffing snakejuice for~ a solid week. Leniency he askiMk for, and on his release be would- lead a good honest, life. I-low repentant nnd remorseful some folk are when they find themselves m the crinviwal "dock. The Judge remarked that the prisoner's, record was a very bad one, and he had thought seriously of earmarking him as an habitual criminal. His thefts had been more of the petty* character, however, and he wouldn't do so on this occasion, but the next time he happened along he would be detained for an indeterminate period. He wbuld have to serve twelve montns cumulative with his present sentence. Aaiother cove who pleaded drink as the cause of bis stepping ofi the plank of respectability was a forger who left F. E. Bussell, of Timaru, m for twenty-five ctuid- He- boasted the name of John Broadribb Cook, and be spent about £17 of the sum fraudulently obtained on a -good old jag- He -drank fast and furiously, and was 'getting on splendidly when tht; police .stum-bled across-his way and be came" a cropper. Cook hadn't offended before and the Judge decided to grant bim probation, but ordered him' to miake restitution, and' to pay costs.. He was allowed a few quid of the cash found on Wm to slope to Timaru with. The fool gets £112 a year from' bis mother, (who lives at Nelson) but he doesn't receive it until September next. So he will have to get to graft to pay off his instalments, and keep off the wine. A low Tasttnanjan criminal, Thomas Livingstone, who has only been a few / months m the colony, set fire to his house m a fit of pique iust because he had a difference with his wife. He battened on the woman from all accounts, and had done no work since bis arrival m Christohurch. Then the bSacuguard bad the cheek to say, that bis wife was the cause of his trouble. The cottage which he set fire to, and 'which was burned- down, was located at Linwood and was. happily m an isolated position. woman was absent at the time and the precious brute removed his own clothes before applying tbe match ; the wife losing all hers. The property, of course, belonged to another person who rented it to Livingisltoaie. After dwelling upon the seriousness of the offence, His Honor let the accused off with a couple of years hard.