THE MOERAKI ROBBERY.

Otago Witness, Issue 2929, 4 May 1910, Page 12

THE MOERAKI ROBBERY.

1 WALKER COMMITTED FOR SENTENCE. ! WELLINGTON, April 27. A trimmer on the s.s. Moeraki, Joseph Walker, pleaded guilty before Mr W. G. Riddell, S.M., to-day to the theft of £l2O worth of jewellery, clothing, silverware, and papers, the property of Miss Ethel Beatrice Miles, a passenger from Wellington to Sydney on April 8. Chief Detective Broberg conducted the prosecution, Alfred Henry Miles, resident partner of Messrs Murray, Roberts, and Co., Wellington, deposed to his daughter, Ethel Beatrice Miles, leaving Wellington by the Moeraki on April 8 for England via Sydney. The articles of jewellery in question were the property of his daughter, and they were packed in her dressing case when she left Wellington. Detective Andrews said that on April 20, on the arrival- of the Moeraki trom Sydney, in consequence of a complaint made, Detefcives Lewis and witness searched the steamer in the firemen's and trimmers' quarters, and found in the leg of accused's trousers a small parcel sealed with red sealing wax. Accused said the parcel did not belong to him. The jewellery, etc., was found in a box belonging to accused, and the sealing wax was in his locker. Accused was removed to the Police Station, where witness charged him with the offence. Accused replied that he intended to iplead guilty. He made a statement which he signed. It was to the effect that on April 9, while t,he Moeraki was on her usual trip to Sydney, while accused was going to work at about 4 a.m., and was passing down to the stokehold, he noticed the dressing case through an open porthole. He removed the case, and later opened it, finding therein the jewellery and silverware. The silverware he took down in an ash tray and hid in the coal bunkers. The dressing case accused tossed overboard. It contained some silverware, articles of clothing, and a brown bag. Accused said he had not examined this bag, and could not say whether or not it contained any money. It was stated that the silverWare had since been recovered.

Accused pleaded guilty, and was com mitted to the Supreme Court for sen tence.