THEFT OF RABBITSKINS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3830, 9 August 1927, Page 37

THEFT OF RABBITSKINS.

At the City Police Court on Friday, before Air 11. W. Bundle, S.M., Cyril Edward Hobbs, alias John Malcolm Ronald M’Gregor, for whom Mr E. A. Duncan appeared, pleaded not guilty to charges of stealing, at Rock and Pillar, 150 rabbitskins, valued at £l2, the property of Stephen Edward Heffernan, and! two keys, a ring, and a chain, valued at £3 2s, tho property of John Tulloch.— Stephen Edward Heffernan said that when he and tho defendant were together in bis wool shed tho defendant had drawn his attention to tho fact that a bag of skins was missing. They had gone together to the railway station, the defendant stating that he was expecting a _ bag from Cromwell. At tho station there was a bag. which, the defendant said, he intended toi consign to Cromwell again. He took the label off and threw it away, affixing a second one to the bag. The guard on tho train would not accept the bag at first as there were no consignments notes, but eventually he had decided to take it and. fill in tho consignment notes himself. Tho bag was sewn with thread such at witness used. On the label were the words “clothing and sundries” in defendant’s handwriting.—John Tulloch, a rabbiter on Heffernan’s run, said that he and tho defendant occupied the same whare. Ho identified some clothing and other goods which had ben found in the bag as his property.—Constable Phillips, of Middlemarch, said that he had recovered the bag, which the defendant claimed. Hobbs had worked for another man under tho name of John Holbie.—Mr Duncan said that the defendant contended that tho whole business was a “frame-up,” and' that someone had filled the bag and left it at the station for him.—The Defendant, in giving evidence, said that his name was Hobbs, but he had also used the name of Ronald M’Gregor. Heffernan had been “saying things about him,” so he had gone to “put the people right.” He had then given Heffernan* notice. Ho wrote “clothing and sundries” on the bag when he handed it to the guard. He was not satisfied with the condition of tho bag, and he had re-addressed it to the man whom he was expecting to send him a parcel from Cromwell. He went to tho station to have his letters sent on to Dunedin. lie did not know how the keys found on him when he was arrested got into his pocket. They might have been put there. He thought Heffernan was capable of doing a thing like that. He did not remember being before the court in Christchurch o- reporting while under probation. It might seem laughable, but he would like to have that evidence taken before a doctor. He had been “smashed up” some time ago. —The Magistrate said it would take a much more vivid imagination than he possessed to believe the defendant’s story. He was satisfied that it was an absolute fabrication. “What do you mean when you say you were smashed up?” the Magistrate asked. —The Defendant : I don’t know whether I was knocked out or whether I fell, but I lost a bag of gold dust.—Mr Duncan said he did not know whether the defendant was “all there.” His attitude throughout had been most peculiar.—On the charge of stealing the rabbitskins the defendant was sentenced to three months’ imprisonment. n nd on tho others ho was convicted and dix charged.