A LARRIKIN GANG.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19270, 6 September 1924, Page 18

A LARRIKIN GANG.

SEQUEL IN POLICE COURT. LAD GIVEN THREE YEARS’ PROBATION. In , the City Police Court yesterday before Mr il. W. Bundle, S.M., Courtney Clark Pledger, aged 17 years, was charged with on August 12, at Dunedin, stealing 20 eggs valued at 2s 9d,-and one tin of disinfectant, valued, at Is, the property of William Johnston Will; further, that on August' 12, at Dunedin, .he' wilfully damaged an,electrical telegraph apparatus, ■, the property of the Postmaster-General, with’intent to* obstruct the • transmission or delivery of any messages; and, further, that on July 11, at Whare Flat, ho committed mischief by wilfully killing a. heifer, valued: at £6, the property of,Robert Smeaton. Mr A. C.l Hanlon appeared for accused, and pleaded not-gniltyto - the-three' charges. Chief Detective Lewis conducted the case for the prosecution, and asked that the two first charges be taken together. This was agreed to. John'Joseph M'Carthy, said -he was with accused and two other , boys •at Wakari on August 12. Witness was with' accused all the evening. At .a certain, place on the Taiori road accused climbed a telegraph post and .damaged the apparatus. Later they went to 'Ashburn Hall, and there accused went, into the fbwlhouse and took some eggs, ..whi.cli. he handed .round. Witness, did not'think anything else was taken from the fowlhouse: v ' Mr Hanlon: Did .you tell Constable Wootton that accused damaged the apparatus on -the telegraph; post 1 ’ ' Witness.: No. . ' .. . Mr Hanlon : Why r/ot ' : Witness: Eh ? Mr Hanlon: Don’t say, eh. . Witness replied* that he was not- asked. To Mr Hanlon : Ho went into Ashburn Hhll with accused and his companions because he did'not want to stay on the road. To the - Magistrate : Accused was the ringleader in the. escapades Alexander N. Campbell; telegraph engineer, gaye-evidence to the damage dope to the cable protectors oh the Taaeri road. ... , ■ Frank Birton, employed at Ashburn Hall, stated Ahat the fowihouses were, looked at 5 o'clock,each night. On August ; 13 Witness found the door had, been burst open and a tinjbf. disinfectant- powder and, some eggs were missing.. , Philip Laing, gardener, Ashburn HMI. stated that about 11.20'p,in." on August.l* he ' heard a* great commotion near the house. ' He went outside- and heard, some people talking, and then found a number of broken eggs, over the door. , Constable Hamilton stated that in consequence of. complaints he-end, Constable Wool ton were patrolling the IvajKonu Valley on August 12. i Witness interviewed accused on the morning of August 14,. and he stated‘.that he had gone to a dan<re on August 12.' With regard, to .the episode- at Ashburn Hall, accused denied that he had ever been there. . . Detective Farquharson gave, evidence as to the arrest 'of adcusod. ; Mr Hahlon said the .case "ha'd -been * defended so that,’the cqurt:could see that the accused, although blameworthy,, was not guilty erf all the- misdeeds. ‘ He ■ happened t 6 have been caught, but it was obvious that the. other,'boys had been . with . him. The facts w6ro, that. aoopsed and■ M Carthy went al6ng : ;&e Taieri rbad oh the;d%y'm question, ' and accused climbed' the telegraph poet-and removed the covering from the apparatus, THe: two,. poys • then threw stones af the\ apparatus and -so damaged it. had endeavoured -,tp\ ipake.-Uj appear that be was inherence .itself, and that’he stohsTby and watched; aoqUsed commit all the mischief, (to be spanked; and.it'was’ qpito.obvious he. was a liar, and Had lied to save his. q:vn..‘ssin., The .Magistrate,: Is .this'", a'case of a-gang of larrikins?,'. .. T • Chief Detective Lewis; *y.es,, sir.,*. There t has been -considerable • trouble fn - tript, and' accused , is * the ’ ‘-strong* .Tuan ', of, the team. It, badly wants putting down. The Magistrate said he.-agreed with..Mr Hdnlon regarding M'Carthy. He .had come into court and deliberately lied. He was satisfied of that,.and for a. boy, of, his ago to ‘go out; with accused and’ then to' state beitdid. nothing was!despicable. A< bpy^V.ho harfn’t the manliness to take/his share oi the; blame was not to be thought mUchof. M'Carthy could consider himself lucky that Re (was not being charged, and he. would warn him that ip ho ever came before the court ! his action would- no* be forgotten and he wodld be severtly-dealt with. The third; charge of shooting, a heifer was then proceeded* with. - The Magistrate said he did not want to, send the -case to .the Supreme Court, and so he would treat the accused as a juvenile. Robert Smeaton, blacksmith, of Mosgiel, stated that he ran cattle bn his farm at Whar e Flat. On: July ’ll, witness was walking over his: property,’ and he found a cow lying dead. . Upon examination it was found to* have been shot’. Later witness heard shots, and running back to the house he'found three boys-.inside. .One was in a bunk, and the other'two were sitting before the fire. Witness, challenged t}ipm with shooting the heifer, ‘and they denied having done so. They ga,ve fictitious names. Benjamin Alexander Sinclair deposed as to loaning accused his rifle on July 9. John Joseph M'Carthy stated that he went to Wljare Flat with accused and James Pledger. They went camping and took a rifle each. Witness ’ admitted that they all gave wrong names. When they left the property after seeing-Mr Smeaton, accused told him (witness) that he shot the heifer.' ■ -.

Mr Hanlon: Haven’t you got' that mixed? Witness: It wasn’t me at'all. _ ■ Witness did not ' know the heifer had been shot until Mr Srneaton told them. John Edward Cannon,' shepherd, gave evidence as to skinning 1 the 'heifer and finding a bullet hole in the head. Detective Sneddon deposed as to; interviewing accused regarding the- ' shooting of the heifer,, knowledge of which' he denied.' ■ ' Mr Hanlon submitted that the Crown had failed to prove that accused shot the heifer. It was a serious charge, and except for M‘Carthy’s and that could - not - be given credence—there was nothing to show who did the shooting. The. Magistrate said there was not ■ the slightest, doubt that one of the' boys shot the heifer, but absolute proof was lacking. Taking into consideration sail’/the facts the ease would be dismissed.’

M ith reference’to the r penalty in the other cases he would have' to have the probation officer’s* report. •

The Rev.. G. E; Mbretpn (acting probation officer) said the-case < was one of lack of parental control. .As far as he could ascertain accused was most untruthful, and ' some, corrective treatment was needed. Mr Hanlon suggested that accused he placed. on ; probation tinder strict terms. The Magistrate warned" the accused that he would go to gaol for a’long term if he did not behave himself, and admitted him to probation . for a,. period of ’ three years. - 1 During that-time he-would bo prohibited from carrying firearms, from going awav for week-ends, and from going ,out at night without the consent of the probation officer. ' He 'was also ordered to make restitution ■ to the extent of £5 3s 9d.