SMART WORK

NZ Truth, Issue 606, 27 January 1917, Page 2

SMART WORK

- — : — : « : — - ■ ■ Robberies at the Royal Hotel Pegg Before the Court. Pleads Not Guilty and is Committed for Trial (From "Truth's" Auckland Rep.) Further evidence was given at the Auckland Police Court on Wednesday afternoon last m the case wherein Cyril George Pegg was charged with the theft of jewellery valued at £50 and also £4 money, the property of guests at the Royal Hotel, on January 4." The evidence given last week' was, briefly, that the rooms had been, "barbered" on the night of the date m .question and the jewellery and money were taken from the clothing m the .bedrooms. *' Detective Alf. Hammond THEN GOT ON THE JOB and after a very smart piece of work finally arrested Pegg, a steward on the Westralia, also finding m the bunk adjoining Pegg's most of the jewellery arid the money. The evidence previously given showed that Pegg had booked a room at the Royal Hotel on the night of January 4, leaving at 5.30 o'clock next morning. He. was identified as the person who had registered as C . G . Enwright on Wednesday. William- G. Gilson, second steward of the s.s. Westralia., said that he knew the accused, who joined the steamer on December 28 at Sydney and arrived at Auckland on January 3. After arrival witness saw accused between 11 and 12 o'clock talking to the chief steward and heard accused say that he wanted to sign off, but the chief steward refused «" Witness knew that the accused then went ashore and did hot see him again till- about 7 o'clock the following morning. Accused then had a roll of notes m his hand and witness passed a remark about the money. Accused said, "You can have as much as you like for Australian money." Witness was also present when Detective Hammond found the jewellery and money under the mattress of steward Evan's bunk, which adjoined accused's bunk. ' . ■ Owen Evans, a steward on the Westralia, said that the accused occupied the bunk next to witness m the glory hole. On the evening of January 3 witness went ashore, returning about ,9.30 and went to bed an hour later. Accused-was not seen about till the next morning. When he awoke at seven o'clock he saw accused m the room" but not m bed. Witness had never seen jewellery and money produced before and if found m his, bunk MUST HAVE BEEN PLACED v THERE . by someone else. He did not know where the Royal Hotel was and slept aboard the ship the whole' night of January 3. . P.egg pleaded not guilty, reserved his defence and was sent along for trial. Bail was not applied for.* .