DETECTED BY A DREAM.

Otago Witness, Issue 1156, 24 January 1874, Page 27

DETECTED BY A DREAM.

(Pall Mall Gazette.) Those who mockingly inquire whether the police have gone to sleep over the Thames mystery and other mysteries awaiting solution, should bear in mind that slumber produces dreams and that dreams occasionally are of immense assistance in the detection of criminals. A singular instance of this was afforded by a case tried at the Bradford West Riding oourt last Thursday. It seems that three years ago Mr John Taylor, of Wyke, near Bradford, went to New Zealand, and left his furniture and household goods in the care of his housekeeper, an elderly woman named Alice Whiteßides. It was the other day discovered that old Mrs Whitesides had pawned goods belonging to her master of the value of £600 or £700 with various pawnbrokers in Leeds, Halifax, and Bradford. The total amount realised by pledging was about £126. In the meantime, Mrs Moore, the wife of a pawnbroker at Halifax, dreamed that a portion of the property pledged with her husband by the prisoner had been dishonestly obtained. This dream being reported to the police authorities, it was then discovered that Mrs Whitesides had illegally disposed of Mr Taylor's property. She was therefore arrested, and, having pleaded guilty, was sent to prison— on two charges of illegally pawning Mr Taylor's property— for two periods of six months each, being twelve months altogether. Persons troubled with horrible nightmares respecting the Thames mystery, the Begents Canal murder, and the atrocities that have been committed with impunity during the last three years in this metropolis, cannot do better than report their visions to the authorities at Scotland-yard.