WAS BAILEY A BURGLAR?

NZ Truth, Issue 219, 4 September 1909, Page 6

WAS BAILEY A BURGLAR?

A Too Ardent Wooer.

Persons m love do > some remarkable things, but it is rare for a passionate swain to break into the house of his inamorata and attempt to take forcible possession of her. That is what John Bailey pleaded guilty to doing at Lyttelton recently. Elizabeth Woods was the unwilling object of the man's affections, and had been considerably annoyed by his devotion m" the past, despite the fact that his love was unrequited. John wrote several times offering to marry her and the girl refused, although, being a rfirl, she didn't destroy the correspondence, but was able to 'produce it m the S.M. Court. Although the young woman liad at no time given John any encourugement, he followed her up the road to her home. In fact, she complained to the police about his conduct. On Wednesday prior to the Court proceedings, the girl was suddenly awakened from her sleep at 1.30 a.m., and, listening intently, heard someone try the handle of her door, which was locked > After screaming,

"Who's there?" and receiving no reply, she got up and discovered Bailey trying to get through the casement window. His shoulder was already m when ELIZABETH CALLED HER PA, John George Thomas Woods, who found the intruder on the window sill. Woods seized him, with the remark, "I've got you now, Bailey," but the burglar re- . plied, "No, by you haven't," and wrenched himself out of the other's grasp. The impetuous lover cleared out, but was afterwards arrested by Constable Fitzgerald, and charged before J.'sP. with breaking and entering the house of Woods with intent to commit a crime, ixe pleaded guilty and was committed to the Ohristchurch Supreme Court for sentence In the opinion of- the Bench, Bailey was not a fit person to be at large, and bail was 'refused} so that he will meditate m the Lyttelton purgatory" on the rottenness of things m general for a period of three months, at the expiration of which time the next criminal sittings will he held.