JENKINS' GENTLE JAG.

NZ Truth, Issue 265, 23 July 1910, Page 7

JENKINS' GENTLE JAG.

Ends m the Shade of the Jag.

"Hollo Mother, I'm Drunk Again !"

•Thomas Jenkins .is a native of New Zealand, and the forty-nine winters tfaat passed over his hea-d haven't left ' nftiiy streams of silver m his big chestpretector beard. About the middle of Jjuoe he camo to Dunedin and put up at * tfo Albion boarding-house m Maclaggansfeeet. On June 18 be drew £18 from tne Taieri and Peninsula Dairy Company, . aifr started t 0 have a good time. After going round a number of booseries he found himself m the Oban Hotel about . n#day. He shouted a drink for one of ths batmen— an* eWerly gentleman named Wetter Ibbotson, who glories m a fierce wjjdfc moustache. Jenkins paid for the drinks with a £1 note and duly received . his change. But while this drink was m progress, a man named William Harrison called IWrotson away, and from him purchased a three-shilling flask of wnlsky, tefatthg a i>s note m payment, llxbotson >g$ the change, but was apparently bustted, as he put the change m front oi JsnJrins ; and by the time Harrison began to- squeak for ills change, both Jenkins

and the change were out of sight. On the following Tuesday Jenkins called at the hotel on his way to catch the south express. He asked for a clock he had left, but ivas plainly told that he couldn't have it until he gave 'back the .£'! 17s he had taken. Jenkins said he hadn't got the money, and got away by the train before the police could be called up.

After some trouble Jenkins was found at Port Molyneux, and appeared before Magistrate WMdowson last week, charged with the theft of £4 17s. He was represented by Mr Hay, who entered a plea of not guilty.

In the course of cross-examination, it came out that some of the witnesses for the prosecution had been visited by Mr Hay, and counsel and Chief-Detecteve Herbert got quite warm. The Ohief Detective got warm m saying what a lino thing it was for aocused's counsel to interview the witnesses for the pjrosecutaon, and Mr Hay got warm m proving that he had seen the witnesses before the police had subpoenaed them. The wiSnass ifjbotson also got warm when Air W.ay asked hirn^if ~ he was drunk on the occasion, and he told counsel that he reckoned it was insulting to him to ask such a question.

It was endeavored to be .proved that Jenkins was too drank to be capable ol forming a criminal intent, but the witnesses weren't convincing on that mattor. ...The first was a gentleman named Frank Hanby, a prohibited person, with fwham Jenkins was drinking during the ;day ; but as every time Hanby told of > entering a hotel it meant a prosecution against him for breakrtug his order, it can !be understood that be didn't give mnch ■ evidence.

The otirer witness to prove sbiWourosity 'was Marian Harris, housekeeper at the .'boarding house, but her most important ; evidence was thai . Jenkins .came home (about five o'clock, and said to her : "Hullo, mother ! I'm drunk again!" Jenkins was convicted and ordered ;*o , come up for sentence when called upon on conditSon ttrat he repaid the money. A suggestion that he be given; until next shearing season to tfrtd ttoe rmoney wasn't seriously entertained, ! though he asserted that if tbat time were graoted be eoaM ptfy itte amount m one •Wt. '.. ' • ,