HOLD MY COAT!

NZ Truth, Issue 946, 12 January 1924, Page 6

HOLD MY COAT!

NONCHALANHMGER NABBED POCKCT PICKING PRCSUMED Wayfarers' Woeful Tales Beware of the affable stranger, ye who are heavy laden withcasfh. If the allegations bo true that were made against a negro named Christopher Martis, alias George Marshall, at the Wellington Police Court this week, there was one at large before the holidays who had a full box of tricks as a pick-pocket. There wore two charges of theft from the person against him, and the same two charges were also preferred against Francis Osman Burke, of Wellington, a well set-up man, 36 years of age. The charges m each case were heard conjointly.

The first referred to a matter of a fiver m single notes which disappeared from the pocket of an inoffensive Working man named John Singleton, Who knocked the humble sum out weekly m his employment as a City Council stableman: the second to the note book only (not the pocket book) of one who might very well have been suspected of carrying many shekels.

The Bench was surmounted by Jay Pays. For the negro Lawyer Sievwright vollied and thundered, while Lawyer Scott conducted a quieter defensive game for Burke.

The simple story- of Singleton's singles was shortly told. On Wednesday, December 19, he knocked off at 5 o'clock with a fiver m his possession, had one shandy at a tavern on the road home, changed his fiver into singles at a shop m Ghuznee Street, placed the precious notes m the inside pocket of his coat,_ and was turning the corner into Whlttaker Street to his home when a stranger tapped him 6ft the left shoulder from the rear. He turned to find his accoster a colored man, the man m the dock opposite

(indicating Martis). There were two other men with him, both Europeans. Ojie crossed the road and engaged his (witness's) son In conversation, while Murtls faced him and the third member Btood hard by. Where .did some people named Wilson live, the colored man asked. Singleton said he had no idea, had never heard of the people; whereupon the casual colored man

NEGLIGENTLY THREW A COAT he was carrying over witness's shoulder, remarking- that he was going to light a cigarette. .He drew forth a Btnoke, with perfect sang-froid lighted it, extinguished his match, and took possession of the coat once more. The casual gentlemen then blew off, the one who had been standing by mentioning that a house on the opposite side was unoccupied. Singleton as pleasantly observed that it was condemned, and the little tete-a-tete ended. Once inside, Singleton felt and faltered. Gone were his five precious flimsies. Then it flashed across his mind. The tail of the coat thrown bo carelessly over his shoulder had completely enveloped the pocket-side of his own, but if Martis Removed the notes witness HAD FELT NOTHING. However, he was positive he had the notes two minutes before and had

' spoken to no one but the accused after changing the fiver. To thi9. assertion he stuck firmly through a barrage of Lawyer Sievwright's cross-fire. The next witness- was the lad of whom the father spoke, 12 years of age, m the fifth standard at school, and rejoicing m the same of Clarence Singleton. This bright youth declared he saw a nigger and two men accost his father, and that one of the I trio, the accused Burk6j came over and asked him where the Robinsons lived. Witness mentioned something of a family of -that name m Ghuzhee Street. At this Burke left him and joined the two who were at that moment leaving dad. Witness subsequently picked Burke out x of seven or eight men at the police station. The matter of Singleton's singles having been disposed of, the other gentleman who had allegedly come' into contact with the two was called upon. In this case, if the two accused were actually intent on picking pockets, they had chosen a most favorable stand-— the front of the Jewish Club m Ghuznee Street. Israel Gelhor was the witness m this case, a man whose name, without reference to the bold curve of his proboscis, at once betokens his - DESCENT FROM ABRAHAM. He is one who has accumulated many ducats m a prosperous hide and skin dealing concern In Wairoa. He was m Wellington for the holidays and at half-past eight on the evening of the very day of Singleton's misadventure was about to enter the club when he was accosted by "Hello there! How ; are you?" and a query as to whether he was m possession 1 of a corkscrew. The questioner was Burke and with him was the negro,, Martis, and- another man; "Of course/ said witness, "I said t hadn't a corkscrew." Chief Detective Kemp (for the police): And what then?— Martis step- | ped up and as he faced me he threw | his coat over my shoulder and said, "I will show you- how we just saw a man arrested." I was wondering what he. would do". . . and I thought I felt his • hund m my inside coat pocket. With that I got away and into the club. Did you do. anything? — Yes, I grabbed my watch and chain. "(Witness indicated how he did it amid the laughter of the Court.) Once inside out of harm's way witness said he felt m the pocket and discovered that his note book had gone. It CONTAINED NO MONEY, but a number of papers, the loss of which inconvenienced' him seriously m his business. (The charge m this instance was of theft from the person of this book, valued at 1/-.) Witness said he later identified , Martis at the police station, and the' morning that gentleman was brought before the Court he saw Burke m the passageway and identified him, too.

Evidence as to the arrests was given by Detective Cooper and Constable Coddington, and Burkes statement to the effect that he knew Martis, but was not with him at either of the incidents related was handed m. Of Martis it was said that he laconically observed, "The less I have to say the better for me." It Is understood that a warrant has been issued for the arrest of the third man.

Both accused pleaded not guilty and were committed ' for trial. Ball was renewed.

During the hearing. Lawyer Slevwrlght endeavored to make capital, of the fact that no effort had been made to have Martis surrounded by other men for identification purposes.

"It would be like putting a black dog among a flock of sheep,'* observed Mr. Ellison, J.P., from the Bench.