PAWELKA BEFORE THE COURT.

Otago Witness, Issue 2934, 8 June 1910, Page 75

PAWELKA BEFORE THE COURT.

SERIES OF CHARGES ADMITTED.

ACCUSED CONVICTED OF ARSON. PALMERSTON N., June 1. At the Supreme Court this morning Joseph Pawelka pleaded " Guilty " to all the charges of furniture-stealing, which comprised the first seres of offences before he escaped from goal, alsc to a number of minor offences. Included in the pleas of guilty were the following : Breaking, entering, and theft of furniture from the premises of Hope, Kidd, N. J. Metcalfe, J. B. Clarkson and Co. ; theft of goods and cigars from Mrs Jane Hardley, J. Robbie, H. R. Cooper, Helen M'Kay, Ashurst railway station (theft of stamps), J. Francis, of Longburn (theft of meat), Millar and' Giorgi (theft of goods). In the latter case Pawelka. pleaded "Not guilty" to a charge of arson at the same premises. He pleaded "Guilty" also to the theft of a bicycle and escaping from lawful custody, but pleaded "Not guilty" to the charge of arson at the High School. The school was burned down on April 5. The Crown's principal evidence was the finger prints found on a pane of glass removed from a window in the school just' prior to the fire, also a chain of circumstantial evidence. A bicycle which had been stolen near the school just before the outbreak, was found at the p;ate of a paddock from which a horse was taken, and which Pawelka was riding at Pahiatua. also a Cadet belt from the High School which was at Millar and Giorgi's. After a retirement of 50 minutes, the jury returned a verdict of " Guilty.'' Sentence was deferred. PALMERSTON N., June 2. Joseph PaAvelka appeared before the Supreme Court this morning on a charge of robbery under arms at Awahuri, where it is alleged he obtained the sum-of Is under threats of violence from John Kendall. The latter in his evidence stated that he recognised Pawelka as the assailant of himself and hie wife when they were stuck up. The accused was the only witness for. the defence, and he confined himself to saying that he was not there and knew, nothing of the occurrence. The J ury J after five hours' retirement, disagreed, and a new trial is called for Monday. After hk arrest at Ashurst Pawelka reported one Archibald M'Rae as being his accomplice in furniture-stealing. The police searched the district, and found a man answering the lescription in Lower Hawke's Bay. He was brought to Palmerston, but Pawelka failed to recognise him.

ACQUITTED ON ANOTHER CHARGE.

PALMERSTON N., June 6. Pawelka was retried in the Supreme Court to-day before Mr Justice Cooper on a charge of robber} under arms at Kendalls. In the last trial the jury failed to agree. From the dock Pawelka/ said that he left Wellington on the night he escaped, and reached Porirua next day, March 24. He boarded a night train to Palmerston at Paekakariki, and reached Longburn in a cattle-truck. He then worked his way -round the river bed to Stony Creek, and camped on the river bank. He was never near Kendalls. The jury viewed the scene of the robbery, and after a retirement of four hours returned a verdict of " Not guilty," adding a rider that they had no doubt that the Kendalls were held up, but that their identification was not sufficient. Sentence on all the charges proved against him and on those to which he pleaded guilty will be passed on Wednesday morning.