ALLEGED THEFT.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 14461, 2 March 1909, Page 7

ALLEGED THEFT.

A NEAT TRAP. iTolin Fait ley Morris was charfjed before Mr If. V. Wii'dow.-'on, S.M., at Hie Citv Court yc-lerday witli slealinu' i)lb ]s lOd, the properly of .lamas Wyllie. Mr Ilanlim appeared 'or accused, who " XoW jinilty" ;ind electcd to be dealt with by a jury. Clii-f Deteciive Ih'rbert. luiettv staled thv alli'g?d furls of tin* case. •lames Wyllie (complainantl said he was slorenian .u Kirk and Co.'s wool stores. ()]• Keliruary ]G wiines* lum!f up his coal in an old office, and left Ihr purs? (pro<1ucl:I), containiiiff one £10 nole and one £5 note, Is Ihrcs threepenny ]iier?s, and oil? ]X'iiny, in tho inside Invast pocket. Accused's and o!h>r employees' coals were iu the . c am« place. About 11.'lb a.m. on Hi? rauie ('ato W'it nes.s found Ihe pur.-:» and money missing. ll<> commnnit::li'd io llie police and lo .all Iho employee?. \\ iieti witnrxs rrported Ihe Xenrreni-" aceiiiiyl wmil, to bis owe coat mid found Hie pnekot, turned imldc out, and mid lie had lost two sovereigns. l)e----teelivo t.illey wilno;s made a search of Kirk's premises wiilnml finding a'trace of <l:e mone.v. They ibon oiilrred lteynol;!?':; premises (pari of Ihe same buildiu.i,'). where ihev found the puise and iiionEy intact. Thev removed Ihe niriif-y awl silt-siitutod papor, fillinii up the purse so us lo make it of a similar bulk. Two days later ho saw accu«'d outer Hi? place where tlir money was. When he had lefr witness entered, and the purse was still' there. Accused 'eft the place on bis bicycle, and witness then went as if to go Ikiiiio. but rrtiii'lied as soon lis accused had disappeared from From n window witness ;a» occmod eft the purse, concealieff it Mi bis sock. Witness then signalled to' Detwlive Lillev. who wns down below, and ran downstairs, whero ho found accused and the detective. Witness asked him if he know bo had witness's purse, and lie replied that in' never had it. Detec-' tive Lillev proceeded io search him, and wit'.iess saw accused ttike the- purso from bis sock, saying': "I saw tho purse here this ui'irnifiir, and I Ihought I'd come bock for it A'H'!is<'d would have ample opportunities of takin? the nurse from witness s ci\\t. but, would have had to 1:0 downstairs. Witness had known the accusal for n. Ion? timo. Detective Lillev also nave evidence. Aeetifiod, who reserved his defence, was conniitte<l for trial, bail lwing fixed .at £.50. witli t'.vo smetH« ot £25 tv.el\ or otie of 550.