CHARGE OF MISCHIEF

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27166, 23 August 1949, Page 6

CHARGE OF MISCHIEF

DAMAGED PORTRAITS IN COURT MAN COMMITTED FOR TRIAL PA AUCKLAND, Aug. 2. Damaged portraits were exhibited in a case heard in the Magistrate’s Court when Dennis John Cobbe, aged 26, a radio engineer (Mr Snedden) was charged with committing mischief on July 12 by damaging paintings, compositions and picture frames of a total value of £155, the property of Dennis Keith Turner and others. Dennis Keith Turner said he was a portrait painter and artist, using as a studio his room in a Princess street apartment house. He returned to his room on July 13 to find it in disorder. Several portraits and picture frames had been destroyed. Of the paintings destroyed, six were not his property, having been sold by him previously. These had been lent to him by the owners for the holding of an exhibition at the Auckland Society of Arts. To Mr Snedden, witness said several of the paintings were of Cobbe’s wife. He had not been living with Cobbe’s wife. Witness had painted portraits of Cobbe’s wife between April and July. These had been done at Titirangi and at his studio. Witness said he felt that there was an inference in the words, “ living with the accused’s wife.’’ Witness said he was served with papers in divorce naming him as co-respondent. In these papers the accused was the petitioner and his wife the respondent. The proceedings were instituted on the grounds of Cobbe’s wife’s adultery with witness. “ I have often seen the accused’s wife in the room across the passage from me,” continued witness “ She bad the run of my room, along with most of the other painters in Auckland. Mrs Cobbe and I both denied the allegation. I have since been informed that the proceedings have been dropped because there is no case. There is no proof and the allegations are false. I had no idea that the accused’s wife had promised to go back and live with him.” An engineer, Frederick Cahn. who lived in the same apartment house, said he heard a disturbance in Turner’s room on the night of July 12. He went in and found the accused destroying the pictures. He was in the act of putting his foot through a painting when witness entered. Witness said, “ I asked the accused what was going on, and he replied, ‘ Don’t you know that fellow has stolen my wife? ’ I caught hold of the accused and tried to get him out of the room. He tried to fight me. The accused was very agitated but he was not drunk.”

Detective Moore said the room was a complete mess when he visited it later that night. It was strewn with broken glass, picture frames and torn paper. Witness said, “ I saw the accused in another room. He said that a man stole his wife. He admitted breaking things up.” Detective Moore said the accused was not drunk, but he had consumed liquor. The accused would not discuss the matter further with him and' would not make a written explanation at the police station.

The accused pleaded not guilty and was committed to the Supreme Court for trial. He was allowed bail in his own recognisance in the sum of £SO.