DO PARASITES HAVE SOULS?

NZ Truth, Issue 1061, 25 March 1926, Page 10

DO PARASITES HAVE SOULS?

(From "Truth's" Special Auckland Representative.)

I THERE was something' ironical 1 about the whole affair. . Copley was charged with consorting with reputed , thieves. He was arrested m the corridor of the courthouse at Auckland, where tie had been 1 interviewing -Lawyer J. J. ■ Sullivan"!-"' . Of cburse, nobody . believes that there ."is -any connection between these two facts. '^ ■■■; Then, .'again, counsel put it to one of the police witnesses, Detective O 'Sullivan /to boot, that no person could be expected to know that an other was of thieving inclination if ■ the > name of the latter had not appeared m the pub - ', ; . .aiiiiiiiiimiMiiiiiiiiimiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii

Ine aaroit tec = was ready with i the answer that J counsel had been.' | \[ most diligent m | his requests, for -I the suppression of 1 . ' name?.;/;; / /'. '.'■ I ■':: And to think, too, 1 . that this argument | came ' out. before | :' S.M; Poynion', who | , has ma^le name | suppression such a' I : hobby! ■■ I Then the closing = scene, Chief | Detective Cum • 1 ming's was address- I ing" some ■ plain! words -about the = record of the ac- j cused Copley. " I He referred > to | the' man m the j dock as a para- .^iiiiiiiiiiHiiiiiiimnniiiiiiiiiimiiium site. ' • Counsel jumped up hot and bothered at that, • and vigorously declared that the .Chief Detective had no right to use such an expression. It, should" not be used to any man who had a spul. Mr. Cummings: Some of these ' ' men have no souls. Mr.- Sullivan: Well, you are speaking contrary to all Christian belief. ' The S.M.: This is not a theological court. Christian belief does not enter, into this case. ■It came out, too, dur.ing the trial that Copley had. been associated with

The appearance of Alexander Wallace Copley before S. M. Poynton charged with being an idle and disorderly person m that he habitually consorted with reputed thieves opened up a plethora of widely divergent and debatable subjects from theology to criminology-. ■ •;" ■•:■;.■ ; The ultimate decision, however, was that Copley was what the police alleged he was, and he is now m Mt. Eden gaol for two months. '

Thomas Smith, the desperate criminal from Australia, who dived through the window of the Rotorua express the other day, He was stated to have, been a visitor of Smith's at the gaol, and had i assisted him. i . j Mr. Cummings said that Copley was providing the finance for Smith's defence. All of which goes to raise the .query as to what exactly was the relationship between Smith and Copley and how far the escape of the former was aided and abetted ' by the co-operation of the jatter. Senior Detective imiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiimiiii!iiiiimiiiiiiii£ Hammond said that

= during June, at I race time, Copley rand Phillips were I staying at a cerI tain hotel m the I city from which I £200 was stolen. I They were the \ only known [ thieves there at i that particular = time. i Witness said he I told accused that I he was sailing very I close to the wind = after he had seen i him m company I with a very clever | and talented AusI tralian crook. I . The Bench: There lis sufficient cviI dence to establish | a case. "• Mr. Cummings ' * (to Mr. Sullivan): Are you calling him? Mr. Sullivan: I appreciate his record. , . ■ ■ ' ■ . ■ . ■ i Mr. Cummings: He is a well-known criminal,, sir. In fact, he is a. profes-a-onal parasite touring New Zealand. He then read the previous convictions against Copley, .which included tl-eft, false pretences, : drunkenness, and three entries of having been j warned off racecourses. ' The S.M.: I must ' convict Looking, ■at, his history, he may hot be so bad as some, Two months. . . Copley: Thank you, sir. . <