PINFOLD'S PECULIAR PRANKS

NZ Truth, Issue 834, 12 November 1921, Page 6

PINFOLD'S PECULIAR PRANKS

Parson's Son with a Penchant for Honsebreaking Earlier Escapades Recalled by His Latest Freak.

Hugh William Eric Pinfold is a young chap not yet twenty years of age, who presents to society a difficult problem, and to his people, a wellknown and highly-respected family, he must be a sore trial. The young man m Question is the son of the Rev. Dr. Pinfold, a well-known Methodist Minister. The Pinfold children have all distinguished themselves m professional life, that is, all but Eric. Not yet on the threshold of life, for he 'has hot completed his studies which were to have fitted him to grace one of the highest professions,, that of medicine, he has plainly shown that at times he becomes possessed 'or obsessed by an unexplainable kink which makes him do a lot of things which are not done m the best families.

Some months ago young Pinfold was brought before the court at Wellington to answer a number of charges of breaking 1 and entering. He was represented by Lawyer Mazengjai*b at the time, and he pleaded guilty to breaking and entering a number of fishermen's houses put at Island Bay, and stealing therefrom a number of articles. The thefts wore committed -with a certain amount of sangfroid and coolness, and when Pinfold was caught red-handed he still maintained a demeanor which seemed to indicate that he was not quite normal at the time. For instance, when the local constable was called m to arrest him, he treated that minion of the law quite off-handedly, CALLED FOR A PENCIL AND PAPER, and drafted a note to a. well-known Wellington detective, commanding him to come out at once and look into things as ho. Pinfold, "had rather a big thing: on."

In the Magistrate's Court, when Pinfold appeared, the magistrate who presided, acceded to counsel's request that no mention should be allowed m the papers of Pinfold's name. When he was brought before the Supreme Court for sentence a day or two later, the presiding judge aiso made the same prohibition, and prisoner was admitted to three years' probation, nnd given his liberty.

In the interim he has ostensibly been applying- himself to hard study, with a view of matriculating m ox-der to enter upon a university career, following by a studentship at the Otago Medical School. But all these plans have seemingly miscarried. A week or so ago, young Pinfold apparently became overpowered by another impulse to make a break-away from the strict path of rectitude, and of course he incidentally broke the terms of his probation at the same time.

On the second of this month, Mrs. Elizabeth Ryan, who resides with her husband at No. 67, Holloway-road, went out to pay a visit to her mother. She placed the back door key on a ledge at the rear of the house, and she returned m about an hour and a half's time. She was met at the door by a neighbor, Mrs. Boniface, who told her something, as a 'result of which she lost no time m entering iher house. There she discovered the place to be m a devil of a ransacked mess. Rushing out again, Mrs. Ryan observed a young man leaving the premises, and she hurried after him. He made no attempt to run away, and when she accosted him and asked him why he had robbed her house he replied, "I did it

BECAUSE I WAS HUNGRY."

He also made an offer that he would give the things back if Mrs. Ryan would not 'lock him up. Mrs. Ryan kept her head, and pretended to agree to the suggestion, and' persuaded the young man to enter Carmody's store. From that place an S.O-S. message was telephoned to police headquarters, and when a constable duly arrived, a choice collection of articles of jewellery, little nick-nacks of considerable value,, and £ 2 19s 9d m money -was combed out of the detainee. The young man gave the name of John Romney Gibbons, but when he was taken down to the police station it didn't take long to discover who he really was. He was Eric Pinfold.

On Wednesday last young- Pinfold came before Mr. P. K. Hunt, S.M., on two charges, with breaking and entering the Ryan home and looting it of, £64 worth of portable property, and with breaking and entering the dwelling of Gladys Betti with intent to commit a crime. There was no attempt on this occasion by accused's counsel, Mr. Maaengarb, to have Ms name suppressed. . ,

Mrs. Ryan gave evidence along the lines detailed above. She added that when she requested accused to return with her he acquiesced, and politely

OFFERED TO TAKE HER ARM, so that nobody would dream there was anything other than perfectly cordial relations existing between them.

Constable Dawe, who obeyed the hurry call and arrested accused, said that when he arrived on the scene, Pinfold greeted him with the words, "Yes, I have the jewellery and money here," indicating- his pocket.

Detective Holmes said that when he started 'to 'take a statement or confession from accused he started off by giving his name as John Romney Gibbons. Accused said that he noticed the blinds of Mrs- Ryan's house were down, and after knocking and receiving no answer, he went round the back and found the key on the ledge. He opened the dooii and went m, and when the next door neighbor became curious he informed her he was

AN INSURANCE AGENT and had come to make a valuation of the house. Pinfold pleaded guilty to this charge. In regard to the second charge of breaking and entering the Betti domicile, Chief- Detective Kemp said that the case really consisted of accused's own 'confession. When he was arrested on the first charge a key was found on him. Ho was suspected of -being the author of other robberies, and he explained the presence of the key m his pocket by telling- the police that he used it to onon Betti's house. He found .nothing worth pinching, howover, and bo he did not" take anything. Gladys Bettt sstld that she had tried to open this door of her house with the key m question, but was not able

to do it effectively. Something had gone wrong with the lock. There was nothing missing from her house.

Mr. Mazengarb then interrupted the procedure of formally cautioning and charging- accused, and suggested that the last case was not one that should be or would be sent on to a jury. The statement he made was absolutely at Variance with the evidence, iwhich was that the key would not open the door. Accused would, however, plead guilty to the charge, for the purpose of getting the matter over and done with. If he pleaded not guilty it would only put the country to a lot of. unnecessary expense and take up the time of the police. Accused, said counsel, was a young man m an

ABNORMAL, STATE OP MIND. His offence was not the result of criminality, but of a strang-e impulse which suddenly came over him just as he was on the eve of sitting for an examination. No jury would convict on the evidence of the second charge. Chief -Detective Kemp: He has admitted his guilt. A person's admission of guilt is sufficient evidence m all cases except murder and bigamy. Mr. Mazengarb: Then he will plead guilty for the sake of getting it over. His Worship refused to take the plea couched m such a way. Ultimately accused pleaded guilty, and was allowed to state his reasons m writing. Counsel then made application for bail. He said accused's recent break had come as -

A GREAT SHOCK

to his family, who believed that he had pulled himself together, and was working hard at his studies and making good. Until he came up for sentence, when he could not hope again for probation, but would be committed foe some reformative treatment, counsel pleaded that accused should be allowed to see and be with his family. A friend of the family, who lived next door to them at Karori, was m court and prepared to g-o bail to whatever amount might be deemed necessary.

"I cannot agree to that," said his Worship. "Judges of the Supreme Court have laid down rules for magistrates to follow m these c«;B88. One is that bail should not be granted except m cases where probation wili be granted "with reasonable certainty. YoungPinfold was accordingly remanded m custody, to appear before the Supreme Court for sentence.