CATCHING THE CRACKSMEN.

NZ Truth, Issue 112, 10 August 1907, Page 5

CATCHING THE CRACKSMEN.

Smart Work by the "Demons." RECENT BURGLARIES ELUCIDATED IN THE MAGISTRATE'S COURT A Quartette That Have Been Sent to the Supreme Court.

The hearing of the charges of sensational burglaries m Wellington occupied the Magistrate's Court on Wednesday, when George Ferris, alias John Anderson, John Byron Hamilton, and William Robert Sinclair, alias Henry Connolly, were arraigned on charges of breaking and entering Laery and Go's on July 26, and stealing property worth £41 17s Id ; T. G. McCarthy's private residence on July 20, and stealing property worth £151 , Louis Blunder's residence on July 17, and stealing property worth £10 , and the house of Gerald Fitzgerald on July 15, and stealing property worth £100. Mr Kirkcaldie appeared for the accused, but did not elect to crossexamine witnesses for the. Crown. Chief-detective McGrath conducted the case for the police. The prisoners watched the proceedings with great- interest. Hamilton is a tall individual j- dark, with a sharp, rough-hewn .dialt Sinclair is shorter, of thick) bmuscular build, with a broad face.!- "Both men have a peculiar droop at the corners of the mouth. Ferris looks younger, and might be superintendent of a Sunday school, only for his eves. These optics were half-closed, as though from near-sightedness, but the piercing glance from the screwed up lids darted here and there, ever on ,the alert ; anon the eyes

focussed the crowd, intensely watching—watching for something. Ferris looked like a caged animal. When the police case m the Laery and Co. burglary -^closed, the tenseness of the men's features relaxed, and cv-Ti Ferris smiled and ceased to scrutinise surrounding objects. The charge mentioned was heard first. The evidence of George Baker, head storeman for Laery and Co., went to show that on July 26 the fanlight over the office door, upstairs, had been forced, and various articles of merchandise had been piled around the office door. Entrance had been obtained from the roof of Luke?s foundry, and all Of the drawers m the office had been forced, and cigars had been scattered all over the floor. The safe had been blown open, a box of detonators, some fuse and putty (used for tamping the keyhole) and a white kid glove being left behind by the marauders. Timothy Wood, an ' aged storeman, employed by the same fis:m, noticed the three accused knocking about the warehouse on the day. of the robbery, and saw Hamilton descending the 'stairs at 4.30 m the after- ■ noon.j - •

Ralph Allen Brewer, clerk, recollected leaving cheques, gold and silver m the cash box, which was placed m the burgled safe. Amongst the cash was a battered thrummer, which had disturbed Brewer for a period of twelve days, and HE IMMEDIATELY IDENTIFIED IT when it was produced m Court. Jno. Mitchell, ons of the Co's directors, testified that the valuables were there all right on the 26th, and their address was unknown on the 27th. Wm. Brown, another director, saw Hamilton on the premises prior to the robbery. Brown lost some torpedo-shaped cigars, and identified a number of smokeables produced. Geoffry Vincent Hill, the cashier m the office upstairs, said that Hamilton entered the room on the afternoon of the 26th, and asked for Mr Mitchell. It was assumed that he was making a lightning survey of the premises. Tec. Lewis arrived on the scene after the valuables had flown. The safe had been blown open by dynamite, judging by the material left behind, which included part of a plug of the explosive. Cecil Ricker, a salesman at George Winder's, said Iliat Sinclair called at the .shop and asked for a small quantity of gelignite to blow out

some stumps. They did not stock gelignite, and he was given dynamite. Sinclair said dynamite would make too much noise for the job he had m hand, and returned it. Later m the day he sold half a pound of dynamite to Frank Hughes, a fruiterer, m Manners-street. Hughes stated that the three accused had been purchasing fruit at his place for the past three weeks, and Sinclair induced him to buy 12 detonators at the Hardware Co., m Cuba-street, some putty and fuse at

"Duthie's, and two sticks of dynamite' at Winder's, allegedly for the purpose of blowing up stumps. James Hewitt, salesman m Stewart and Co.'s, Courtenay-place, testified that he refuecd to sell explosives to Sinclair on the 26th. Alfred Clemens, of the United Hardware Co., and Len. Feist, of Duthie and Co's, corroborated. Lily Louisa Bachelor, who keeps a boarding house at 72 Ghuznee-street, stated that Hamilton had engaged a room at her place for the three accused ; and Nellie Smart, who cleans up the room, noticed .a bundle of cigars on the table on the Saturday morning succeeding the burglary. Wm. Morgan, a laborer, said he had a drink on ,two occasions with Hamilton, whom he saw at the Trentham races. Hamilton said he wasn't doing too good. He remarked that the chap who was with him was pretty good to him. He had paid for his board. Hamilton said he had also had a row with a fellow named Micky Regan and others, and t he had a revolver to protect himself. Wm Mclntosh, a Manners-street draper, said that Hamilton called at his shop on Saturday, July 27, and ,was shown some suitings, one of which he selected, and wanted to know how soon he could get it as he had lost his • wardrobe and only had one suit. Paid cash for the suit, the coin being four sovereigns, half a sovereign, and some silver. He hadn't collected the toggery yet. Fred Barley picked up three of Laery and Co's cash boxes on Monday amongst some timber m Tara-naki-street. , 'Tec Cassells said that m company whith Chief 'Tec McGrath he arrested Hamilton m the Albert Hotel on the night of July 27. He had the sum of £1 2s 3d on him. Charged him with the offence, and m reply he said, "Absolute rot." Arrested Ferris with the. Chief Detective, m the room of, the Ghuznee-street boarding house, when he was POSSESSED OF A REVOLVER, a small electric lamp, and £1 12s 6d m cash. In his bag were an electric battery, a pair of gloves, and two rounds of revolver cartridges. Charged him with the offence, and m reply he said, "Jesus Christ, is there nothing else ?" • Arrested Sinclair m the same room at midnight. Found on him three sovereigns, eight half sovereigns, and a quantity of silver. Charged him with the offence, and he said, "Oh, Christ, what next are you going to give us ?" Laery and Cos cigars were found m the men's room. Saw the three accused together on the afternoon of the 26th, when they were going along Jervois-quay m the direction of the Te Aro railway station. Sinclair had all the fingers missing from his 1 r fc hand,' and I the glove found m Laery's exactly fitted his right hand. Accused reserved their defence and were committed for trial at the next sittings of the Supreme Court. The charge of robbery at T. G. McCarthy's was then proceeded with. Emma Saunners, housemaid at T. G. McCarthy's, Boulcott-street, said that she slept m a room off the kit-

chen on the night of July 20, and the only other occupant of the house was Mr McCarthy. At 2.30 m the morning heard someone corning clown the stairs, and later she heard a noise m the kitchen, and fearing that Ml McCarthy was ill she awakened him. Next day the sitting room window, upstairs, the top of '.vmch | had been left open, was found to be I open at thej bottom also. The vnn--1 dow could be rcachjd !>v moans of steps from a balcony below. On a

Friday three weeks ago, Hamilton called at the house and asked to see Mrs McCarthy, who was not at home. He called again next morning and saw Mrs McCarthy,, who told him to come back at 5.30 m the evening. Hamilton said he came from Father McCarthy, a relative of Mrs McCaiihy, and was admitted to the study, where Mr McCarthy slept on the night of the robbery. Thomas George McCarthy, who is j an elderly brewer, said he slept m the study, and left his trousers en the foot of the arm-chair. The garment contained £15 m English money, the safe key. .and the key of the door. He was disturbed at 10 to 3 a.m., and switched on the electric light. Remained awake four or five minutes listening, and then went asleep again. Was awakened a quarter of an hour later, by the housemaid, who said, "Mr McCarthy, THERE ARE THIEVES IN THE HOUSE." Was unable to find his trousers ■ m the dark, and turned on the light, and went to the -door, where he met the housemaid. In the passage found the door of the safe open, with his trousers lying beside it, and the key was m the safe. Witness detailed jewellery, coins, and cash to the value of £150 taken from his

trousers and the safe. Other receptacles had also been ransacked. He identified two watches , and a chain produced. E. Metz, who lends money on articles m Taranaki-street, said Ferris came m on July 27th, and offered a watch and chain, but the prudent pawnbroker had received, word from the police concerning missing tickers, and refused to lend anything on the articles. Told him to return m half an hour, but Ferris smelt a rat, or the police, and did not re^ turn. The fruiterer, Frank Hughes, who was instrumental m PROCURING THE EXPLOSIVE MATERIAL for the accused, said the three men left a parcel at his shop, to be called for. This was subsequently handed to the police, and contained one of McCarthy's watches, also a chain. Detective Cassells said when he arrested Ferris he asked him where he had got the watch and chain he had tried to pawn. Ferris replied that a' man named Fred Crawley, from New Plymouth, had given it to him to hypothecate. The accused were committed for trial. In the charge of stealing jewellery, silverware, and money from the house of Gerald Fitzgerald, Bessie Dack. a domestic m the house, was the first witness. She left everything secure on the night of 'July

15, and at seven m the morning she found the drawing-room door open. G-erald Fitzgerald, civil engineer, the owner, testified to missing next , morning various articles, valued at £70. The spoons and forks were taken from the dining room, other articles from the • upstairs rooms, and some of these prpduced he identified. Frank Hughes, the unconscious fruiterer accomplice, testified that two of Fitzgerald's watches and the spoons and forks were m the parcel j left with him by the accused. In the case of the fourth charge, Frederick Harvey said .he was occupying the house of Mr Luois Blundell during his absence m Sydney. On July 16 there was evidence that the house had been entered on the night before. The Chief D?tective produced a quantity of silver ware, but the witness could only identify one spoon of an ornamental pattern, j which had been taken from the dining room. This room was found to be open on the lfith, also the cupboard of the sideboard. Lucy Bradley, a servant at Mr BlundelPs up to the time of that gentleman's departure, identified a ! ouantitv of silverware which had been left m the dining room. The ever-present fruiterer, Hughes, testified that some of Blnndell's cutlery was m the comprehensive parcel left at his pJaco by the three s»!s;ie--i.?d persons. Accused reserved their defence, and were committed for trial.

Cyril Cosgrove and John Byron Hamilton were then charged -with entering the Masonic Hotel on July 26, and stealing therefrom property to the value of £16. Cosgrove is a short, thick-set individual, and, singularly enough, like Hamilton and Sinclair, the corners of his mouth droop forbiddingly. He also wore A HUNTED SORT OE EXPRESSION. Thomas George Fitzell, a draper, who occupies room 24 at the Masonic, said that on .Thursday afternoon, July 25, the room was entered, and ah overcoat, watch, and a variety of other articles were taken, the total value being £16. Elizabeth Pearson, wife of Peter Pearson, jeweller, Manners-street, said Cosgrove had sold to her Fitzell's watch for 4s. He wanted 5s for it, but she didn't know much about watches, and offered him 4s, which he accepted. Detective Cassells arrested Cosgrove, who said lie got the watch from a fellow up the street. Found other articles on him, which he said he got from the same fellow. When Hamilton was arrested,' he was wearing a lady's ring missed by Fitzell, and that gentleman's case of pipes was found m Hamilton's bedroom. He said he had purchased them up the' street for 12s 6d. Hamilton reserved his defence, and was committed for trialf Cosgrove • pleaded guilty," and said he had sold to Hamilton the articles found m his possession. He . was committed to the Supreme Court for sentence. Mr Kirkcaldie asked that m consideration of Cosgrove's admission, Hamilton should he acquitted on this charge, but Magistrate Riddell said he could not dismiss a charge on the bare statement of one of the accused. Hamilton was further charged with the theft of a watch, valued at £6', the property of Donald McDonald. Donald McDonald, a laborer, staying at the Shamrock dining rooms, said he had missed a watch from his room between 1.15 and 2 p.m. on July . 31. George Ward, manager of the dining rooms, said Hamilton had an occasional meal there. His connection with the watch was supplied by ■Detective Cassells, who found the timepiece m Hamilton's possession when he arrested him. Hamilton said he had bought the ticker from an old man on the racecourse. Hamilton was committed for trial.