'THE BEDROOM STEWARD.'

NZ Truth, Issue 340, 30 December 1911, Page 7

'THE BEDROOM STEWARD.'

COLLARING T" CASiBBO^Tattersalls' Takings Touched, Mrs Elfca Peters' Pence. The Steward to be Reforuiedi [From "Truth's" Dunedin; Rep.]

John Sullivan, better. kn,own 'as-:'-'tho Bedroom Steward:,'" duly appeared m the Dunedin S:M.'s Court on Friday of last week, when a small matter of stealing £70 from Mrs Peters, licensee of tho Tattersall's Hotel, was gone on with. The court typewriter was got to w.ork and "the Steward" was charged with having appropriated a cash box containing £48 16s m loose cash, and postal notes value 12s, and cheques value £17 8s and a money order wire value £-3 es. Accused disclaimed all the assistance of Costs, Horsehair and Co. and looked after his own caes. Mr Bartholomew, S.M., -acted ,af ; MAG-ISTERIAXi REFEKEE Sn the scrap. Eliza Peters.-.-, licensee "of TatterBall's Hotel, said tha-t &he and"ner daughter occupied a bedroom together, m a chest of drawers In her room she kept her cash box. On December .6 she .was... m , her room . from 4 p.m. to G p.m. . When she left her room then the box was was locked m tho chest of drawers. She returned to her room, at 0.30 p.m. ■•-^and found the. .dsor. _ha ( L been unlocked. Subsequently, she found that the chest of drawers had been forced, and the cash "boxr was missing. She identified the Tsox: produced, -also sundry cheques and money order telegrams'," W "neT " property". The total cash, innotes, goip and silver was £*s XGs- John nev^ stayed at her hotel, and she did not "know him at all. " ' :: " :: :: : ""~ '~~ ""■ James Olive, son of last witness, said h© managed the hotel. He, went to his mother's room on. Pecember "6 f or some change. Fbiuid his mother: m the room, and they discovered that- the box was -.missing... He didn't loiow Sullivan at all. John Popham, farmer, said on December 6 he was boarding at the hotel. As he was on his way to have tea at about 6.20 p.m., he MET "THE BEDROOM STEWARD** between Mrs Peters's room and the bend of the stairs. When. witness. ■looketl at John that party . held his head dovni. Remarked to "the Steward" that the weather was pretty dusty, and that party admittcVl iti was. After he heard of the robbery witness gave a description of- the 'genial, polite stranger. ,- -■ - Detective - Ward said that on December 9 Detective Hunt and lie took possession ol a bag ..from the left "luggage office at Dunedin. ' The bag had been left by a man named Sutherland. In it there was : £3.3 9s 3d m silver done up m - packets. It also contained clothing belonging to "the" Steward." On December 12 • accused said he was prepared to admit the -rofience,. - and -took, -..thein-. roirad to the rear of the goods shed and ■>, showed them where he had planted the box. The box contained a cheque and two money order telegrams. I/ater "tiie Steward" made a statement admitting tlra^.p.ffefiee.According to the statement, t^atter . sA^akiog the box," Suilivan iook'-'it' \o hi s 1 odgings m Stuafrt-stref t tmd . opened it. ;Ho "took out;al3 the notes .and gold .-and., put theu^;{ni M 9 PP,cr ! ic-et. Then- Le 'took the sitver aii.d; placed it m his handbag, wnlcfi he> ]elt at the left-luggage office at the> station. Then HE PLANTED THE BOX,- : marked the -ticket to .haujself- .-- a-t; Christchui-ch, and left forthat pl.Bccf.%< Detective McL.eod arrested him itt : Christchurch, ami" discovered £135' 9s . •Id on him. J Sullivan had spent'va--rious,' small sums m paying ofl-~ old . debts. ' ■ ,■'■ ; ■ Detective Hunt corroborated:;.';.' .;; • Accused pleaded guilty, -asotii-..wa». committed to the Supreme Cp^rt.for" sentence. ■". . ■ '■ ":'."■■-'.' ;:.:'.:•• ■■:■>';■ . Sullivan duly came up . before-,h1.»---'llonov Sir • Joshua -VViniams; on Tuesday for sentence. . John, /.when aslced if he had ; anything - ; tp- say,.: had not, but handed up a forig State'- 1 merit.7 ' ■ - - • ■■■■■ ----- *--. - JJr Maccassey, the Crown . Prosccutov; prave an .acccPJnt of John's short. T?ut eventful, life. John was t^onty -three years of age, and was a native of New Zealand. He mostly stayed m Canterbury but. he had no fixed place of abode there. He followed racing, and- wasKNOWN AS A G-UESSER*. ■ Ijast Mavcli ho hn.<l been sentenced: to six months for a theft from, an; hotel m Palmerston North, and on" Pecccibet* li ■he was con^ictcfi ' and", di.schai'ged foi- a similar . offence at j\sh burton. " ' " ' • 'His- Honor said that two years':reformative treatment ; . would, ..^suit .rphri's complaint, and sent"..'Klinalong to- try it.