McNAB NABBED.

NZ Truth, Issue 120, 5 October 1907, Page 6

McNAB NABBED.

Tec. Cassell's Has a Chase.

And Hooks Him with a Brolly.

•The fact that a bludger is sent to gaol is nothing of extraordinary import m Wellington, though it would be a great deal more satisfactory if the parasite was gaoled more frequently and gaoled often enough to qualify him for the Habitual Stakes, so that he could be jugged until such time as he gave unmistakeable signs that he wopld bludge no more. Anyhow, on Tuesday morning last, Magistrate Riddell has before him at the S.M. Court a very dirty specimen of this unholy class m the 'shape of one John McNab, Whom Detective Cassells had nabbed the previous evening. In order, though, that McNab would be fixed properly, he was charged with being an idle and disorderly person, having no visible means of support, and, further, being

A ROGUE AND VAGABOND, habitually consorting with thieves and prostitutes. To both these impeachments the McNab pleaded guilty, nor did he express repentance or ask for leniency, and Chief Detective MeGrath said that m view of the pleas of guilty, little need be said, and the little that was said went to show that the McNab, who is only a young man, had ever since youth been a crook, having graduated m Dunedin, where he was a member of the now infamous gang %nown as the Arcade Push. This precious push m its time were rip-snorters, and did very much towards damaging dour Dunedin's name and fame for holiness. The push, happily, is broken up. Most of them turned out crooks, and all, more or less, are at present •m one or other of His Majesty's prisons. McNab got a sentence, of three months on each charge, the sentences to be concurrent, so, m fact, he got off light. But it is around Mctfab's capture that something has to be told, showing how useful m the hands of a detective is an umbrella. Late on the Monday evening. - Detective Cassells espied McNab m Aitken-street, and though the 'tec. had not been to a clairvoyants that night, and no medium had gone into a trance or seen things, Cassells recognised McNab as a "bludger," and there was no necessity for a spirit-seer or raiser to tell him that, particularly as at the time he was

TALKING TO TWO. PROSTITUTES. Judging McNab fit material for Court work, he spoke to the "bludger, who made off. Up one street and down another ran the pair. Through the Parliamentary Grounds they streaked. It looked a moral for McNab m the run home, but no. Getting within almost touching distance of his man, Cassells,. who was carrying a brolly with a hooked handle, shoved it out and caught McNab around the throat, and of course that settled him. McNab goes to gaol vowing vengeance against all sorts of brollies. Tf he had his way special legislation would be enacted for iheir abolition,! , *• „,.<, -