A METHVEN MARAUDER.

NZ Truth, Issue 218, 28 August 1909, Page 6

A METHVEN MARAUDER.

A Dance, a Dog, and Some Whisky

James Gill, a middle-aged man with ginger lip whiskers, and a Hibernian acaccent, whiskied himself into quod at Methven recently, and was later tried m Christchurch Supreme Court on a charge of breaking and entering the dwelling of an engine cleaner named Jack Wilson on July G. , The railway employee < palaces at Methven' are the ordinary cabooses, and no burglar_ would imagine that large, fortunes were' concealed tjherein. That someone i did enter Wilson's hut by a ,2ft x lft 6in window is certain, for Wilson's duds were found strewn about, a revolver was taken from the bottom of a trunk and loaded with cartridges stored on a shelf, and the unlawful person went out through the narrow window again and paid a visit to the next whare wherein engine driver Evans wooed the God of Sleep with partial success. The intruder demanded Evans's blaliky stuff, with the fevolvcr at his head, and, m the words of Evans, "I LET OUT A SQUEAL, and, he went away." The .desperado left a pair of gloves behind him, and it wassought to- connect Gill -with the affair through these dook-covers, also by his voice, and less convincingly by his overcoat. Gill's programme on the night m question was whiskies and sundries, with more whisky by way of a change, and his indignation when charged with breaking and entering was simply superb. He was defended by Barrister Alpers. John Wilson; a young man of about twenty and an engine-cleaner, said he lived m a railway hut near the station, Eli Evans being his nearest neighbor a few feet away. The station master resided about a chain or half a chain from him. Wilson left his caboose at 10 p.m., with his door locked, one window fastened, and another window closed but not fastened. At twenty to eleven Wilson paid a visit to the whare to ' get his Avatch, and things Ayere all right, but at 11.30, when he again visited the hut, he found the window open, and, looking m with a lighted match, saw his revolver .on the table and the contents of his box strewn about the floor. The shooting iron was unloaded when Wilson last saw it at the bottom of his trunk, and later it was discovered that tire weapon had been loaded m four chambers. Wilson later went into -Evan's whare, and heard a thrilling yarn' from that person, Wilson at the same time inspecting a pair of woollen gloves which had been left by ihe midnight intruder. Later m the evening Wilson was with the policeman Avhen he arrested Gill m the vicinity of Sorgclly's Hotel. The accused was 1 m a state of shicker and singing a patriotic song with unmelodious voice. Charged with "drunk and disorderly" next day. Gill claimed the gloves found m , Evans's as being his property ; then Jie corrected himself and said they probably belonged to a person- named Flaherty. To Mr Alpers : A lot ■of the boys habitually came down from the back country to Methven, and tilings were pretty lively there sometimes, but the place didn't have a general reputation for larceny. One chamber of the revolver had .been left unloaded. Eli Arthur Evans, engine-driver, webts to bed at a little after ten on the night of July 16, leaving a big fire burning, which illuminated the whare. Evans was dosing when he heard the footsteps of a person enter the hut. , "Is that you, Jack ?" he asked, imaging it was the cleaner. The intruder said" "Yes." Evans turned over and found a revolver within a few inches of his nose. "Where's your blanky stuff?" asked a menacing voice. Evans replied that he hadn't any ami let out a piercing scream. Thereupon the man bolted. Evans didn't follow him becaus.s he was too frightened to get out of bed. He couldn't distinguish the. face of his unwelcome visitor as the light was at tfcs back of him. -Later, when ths station master aiai the bobby came m they found the pair of gloves. Next day Constable Moore had a quantity of Gill's property on the Court- mantlepiece, and he asked if each article separately belonged to Gill. GILL CLAIMED THEM ALL, including- the gloves, and- when asked a second time about the gloves again claimed them. Later, however, he denied ownership, and said that if • ihe gloves were m ; his possession .he didn't know where he got them from. The voice pi GTII appeared to be the same voice as Evans heard earlier m. the hut, and the dark ■ overcoat and cap worn by Gill were similar to those worn by the armed person io the caboose. Norman McLeod, station-master at Methven, said' that Gill came to his house between 10.30 and 11 and inquired for the local constable. He said his name was James Gill, and he was boozed. Peeler Patrick Moore said that he visited Wilson's hut at midnight and secured some finger-prints, but, when tested, they were found to be indistinct and use* less. After paying a visit to Evans's he arrested Gill m a half-sosselled eondU tion, and that person said he knew nothing about the breaking and entering or other incidents.' Gill had a coat m his possession belonging to a Mr Burgess, and Moore asked the accused if he had any other property belonging to Burgess. The gloves were on the Court, shelf with a pair of woollen socks and 'a strap, and Gill claimed the lot. Later he said, "I'm not so sure about the gloves. I think they belong to .I-larry •at Mount. Somers." Harry is a person named Flaherty. The huts were enclosed by barb- • ed wire, and Gill's overcoat was torn m several places as though by wire. The ! revolver could easily be replaced on Wuls son's table, which was immediately be- ; low the window of the hut. Gill, m his own defence, stated that he • arrived m Methven from Mount Somers ; station • about a quarter to seven, had • tea at Lorgelly's Hotel after sinking four , whiskies. Afterwards he went out to buy , a clog chain, and then adjourned to Ken- ' nedy's Plotel, where he absorbed another • whisky. Kennedy asked Gill if he had i seen Constable Moore, and Uill left the i hotel and .went to the bobby's bouse

about, his dog. The constable's son told the visitor that pa was up town, and Gill went, m pursuit o! the oilicer. Me inquired at the station master's housn.for the peeler, and m consequence of what he heard there, went to the railway station and asked if a dog howling m a truck belonged to him (Gill). He was told that it didn't. Met a man named Henderson at the railway station and went with him up to the hall, where a dance was m progress. Gill, obtained admission to look for the hobby about his dog, and was ordered out hecause he wanted to sing, (rill then went and BOUGHT A FLASK OF WHISKY, after which he visited Dore's boardinghouse and here he discovered his <log. Later, he again visited the hall, and at the close of the dance had a whisky with one of the musicians. 1-Je was talking to the orchestra for half an hour before proceeded to his hotel, and although not drunk he was half-and-half when arrested. When the gloves were 'shown to Gill he mistook them for the woollen socks that had been found m his pocket by the constable.- He got them at Flaherty's and carried them m his pocket because there Vere creeks +0 wade through. Gill thought the , gloves had heen found on him also, nnd said thq.l; if they were m his possession he, must have taken them from Flaherty's 'at Mount Somers by mistake. He wasn't at the huts that night, and had not even seen those, buildings yet. Bonifaces Lorgelly and Kennedy, both of Avhom possess Hugh as a first name, and arc huge physically, with George Dore (boarding-house keeper and Jack Jamieson ■ (who saw Gill at the dance), gave general evidence as to accused's movements on the night of the offence. Mr Alpers, m the course of hia-, address, sard the only evidence by which Crill could be convicted was that relating to the gloves and his voice, and both, like his coat and his hat. and his everyday life, were colorless and commonplace. Jt was not the duty of counsel to account for the person who had, undoxibiedly visited the huts, hut he suggested as a possible explanation that it was a lark perpetrated by a patron of the dance, possibly with some liquor m, who knew Evans well , and wished to frighten him, and also knew Wilson well. Counsel described Mcthvcn. -as heing a particularly livolj'- place on festive occas- I ions. . > His Honor, who reviewed the evidence, j said he didn't think that if it, were, a lark I by a late reveller the man would go j through the ceremony of loading the re- j volver. The jury retired and returned with a j verdict of not guilty. G-ill : Thank you, gintlemen ; I AM NOT guilty.