BERRY'S BLIGHTED BLOSSOM

NZ Truth, Issue 1035, 26 September 1925, Page 18

BERRY'S BLIGHTED BLOSSOM

Loquacious Leslie's Legal Levy

Finger Print Figures In Fixing a Fine

• POLICE PEER INTO PERILOUS PAST

For confidence, assurance, or, to call it straightout brazen audacity, Leslie Daniel Berry, fully sft. 2in m his socks, is hereby awarded the biscuit. „ .

Kindly Nature has often compensated lack of stature and physical defect by an amazing assertiveness, and m this little man's case she has more than compensated him. He needed all his confidence last week, However, for Chief Detective Kemp had something up his sleeve which Berry little dreamed of.

It seems that Berry, arecent arrival from Sydney, was inclined to talk big.

Despite his pocket edition size, and mere 22 years, he was most expansive to a fellow guest one evening m the Waverley Hote m "Wellington, and informed him that he was a son of William Berry, of Sydney, and that he had come over to look into the affairs Of the two Wellington branches of his father's firm. / The firm's .affairs were not go.ing too well, he said. Another day he happened along to I the tailoring establishment of Henry Gotlieb, and mentioning that he was Berry, of H. Berry and Co., Wellington, said he would lilce to look over a few of the suitings. He did so with a nice discrimination. One shade appealing to his eye particularly, he had a length put away for him, and left without being measured. . About' ten days later two detectives, Messrs. Jarrold and McLen- \ nan* had a word with. Berry m the street, and nothing abashed, he informed them that his father was a big business man at the corner of Castlereagh and Hunter Streets, m \ Sydney. He admitted that his name was i Berry, but denied having told Gotlieb he was Berry of the Wellington, firm. * The uncertainty of the tree from which, this Berry, had sprung moved ,

1 "Well." said Mr. Kemp, "your finger prints are identical with those of Leslie David Berry, convicted m Sydney on; January 13, 3 919, for stealing and sentenced to two months' imprisonment (suspended); convicted again m December, 1919, for stealing and fined £6 or three months; and three times convicted m the Children's Court: Were you, or were ypu not convicted as., on that paper (holding the letter from the Sj'driey police forward)? — 1 don't, remember, said Berry, and, when the- question was repeated, passed it off again with "I don't remember." Surely you don't seriously tell the Court that you would not remember them? — I don't remember them. Magistrate J. G. L,. Hewitt (sternly) : (Answer the question. Were you convicted? — As far as I can remember J wasn't. Detective Kemp was holding the paper; forward again when accused brushed it violently away. "Take it away," he shouted. "I. don't want to listen to you." : Finally, reminded seriously that he was liable to a perjury charge, accused admitted the convictions. . "Now," said the Chief Detective, "do you, a confessed perjurer, still ask the Court -to take your word before Gotlieb's? Do you still say you did not go for that suit with felonious intent?