BURGESS' BAD BREAK.

NZ Truth, Issue 180, 28 November 1908, Page 5

BURGESS' BAD BREAK.

IS HE A BURGLAR BOLD?

Gave Jewellery to a Donah.

An Unexecuted Warrant for Wife

Desertion.

A young man named Milford William Burgess, alias John Williams, occupied the dock at the Wellington Magistrate's Court on Wednesday, before Mr VV. U-. Riddell, S.M., when fifteen charges of breaking and entering' and theft were preferred against him, but three of the charges were subsequently withdrawn. Chief 'Tec. McGrath prosecuted, but, accused

WAS UNREPRESENTED BY COUNSEL. ,

The occupiers of the / places broken into) and the amount of each thefc, together wxih the dates, are as lollows :— John Mitchell, Wellington, 19th October, jewellery, etc., valued at £6 5s ; W. E. Williams, Brooklyn, on 2'Bth September, jewellery and money valued at £14 2s (id ; Percy Stacy, Lower Hutt, on 10th October, jewellery and money valued at £32 7s 6d ; Thomas Bryant;, Wellington, on 24th September, jewellery, etc., valued at £3 5s ; Patrick J. Moran, Island Bay, on 21st October, jewellery, etc., valued at £10-175.6 d.; Edward, Wiiiis, Wellington, on Bth October, money and jewellery valued at £17 10s ;. Athol William Waters, Wei ington, on 16th October, jewellery, etc., valued at £2 3s; Wm. Wilson, Wellington, on 26th October,' jewellery, etc., valued at £16 13s; Francis Henry Coate, Wellington, on S&tn September, jewellery and money valued at £17 ; Henry ueorge ..,iuon, Upper' Hutt, on 26th October, jewellery and 'money valued at £8 ; John William Bell. Brooklyn, on 19th October, jewelltry and money valued at £7 17s (id ; ' Charles Burgess Mann, Karori, on 28th October, jewellery and money valued at £7 17S 6d. The total amount involved is over £200.

The Court presented quite an interesting and annimated appearance, the heavy black and sombre huei of the background provided by the hangers on and great unwashed portions of tilie hall of Justice being relieved by the bright • and gailycolored dresses of. the many female witnesses who had. been subpoeaned and who had, wi>h that foresight so characteristic of the fair sex, each brought a- quota of friends to' admire them as they posed m the witness-box as aids .to Justice, an,d dramatically assisted m the ultimate triumph of virtue and innocence over yil'■any and roguery, just as 1 it appears m the" story books. The whole of the day was occupied m hearing evidence, which was, for. the most, part, the ordinary ,uninter. sling Poli c 'Court mchjionv. An/i was given m . a parrot-like manlier by the majority of the thirty witnesses. Two witnesses who can be selected from the ruck as . '

WORTHY OF A PASSING NOTE - were Miss A'ta Bowman Bell -nd- Miss Gertrude Beatrice. Lingard. ■; The former, was the first witness called, and is the' daughter of John William Bell, of-Brook-lyn. . She is a youne;., la,dy of aT>out 13 years of age, and, after being sworn, exhibited - some hesitation m speaking aud-

DETECTIVE ANDREWS

ibly, until the austere Riddell requested her Ijo 'speak up so that the prisoner can hear you." From that onward, the bright little girl gave/ her evidence m a clear, concise manner, which" left, nothing to be desired, indeed, the girl;. Is '•to; 'be complimented 6n the manner m which. she assisted Chief 'Tec. McGrath, as she is, indeed, one of the best witnesses who have ever been m the witness-box- ol the Wellinstfon Cdurt. v The second young lady, Miss Gertrude Beatrice 'Li .ard, proved to be a very iuterestng witness, as Burgess, the prisoner, was unmistakably shook on the girl and had displayed •his admiration for her m many ways, probably not wisely but too we.i, much to the girl's embarrassment, as his lovelike attentions were what caused Gertie to be subpoaened by the police m the case. Burgess had evidently taken a great pride m his "donah," and had showered blessings I—which1 — which proved to be very mixed blessings, unfortunately, for Gertie — on the girl, m" the shape, of. a photo pendant, which had been 'stolan from the house of Patrick J. Moran: and a brooch from the house of John William Bell. . ' THE. QIRL WAS VISIBLY ASFECTED at her unpleasant position, and.it is hot to be wondered at, as no girl likes to be hauled into the witness-box against her wisn, even, when as m this case, she is innocent of any complicity. •• . - Acting-Tec. Andrews stated, that on 30th October; m company with Detective Lewis, he saw accused leave for Sydney, by the Moeraki. On 3rd November accused was arrested m Sydney, and : cm the 12th of the same month he saw Burgess at the Darlin^hurst Gaol, Sydney. Accus|ed was charged at the Water Police 1 Court, Sydney, with five charg&s oi house- ! breaking! and theft, and committed to i Wellington, whither witness escorted him. The jewellery mentioned m the charges was produced at the court m Sydney, and included some of the jewellery now prOr duced. While m the dock, at Sydney accused called witness -over <to the dock and said,. "I admit .that, the: jewellery was found on .me; and I'll tell yolu all about it en the way back tjo Wellington, 1 got

THE ACCUSED.

it from another man. I have been having a 'crook' time here, and I'm 'glad that you have come for me, as 1 want to get j back and get this off my mind." On reaching Wellington accused told him, amongst other things, that the night before he left for Sydney he met a man who asked him if he would sell some stuff for him m Sydney. Accused agreed to do so and the. man gave him the jewellery, TELLING HIM IT WAS "CROOK." WjLtness knew the warn xeletretl to ; .there