“THE MYSTERY MAN.”

Otago Witness, Issue 3861, 13 March 1928, Page 14

“THE MYSTERY MAN.”

BOY BURGLAR'S OPERATIONS. ELLINGTON, March 7. before \lr °T J<? T4 S a boy appeared ocroro Ur J H. Salmon, S.M., in (h o Lower Hutt Magistrate’s Court to day to Mo???"?! Sen , e ? of chai * es "hich intruded of° wiif f i bl '? aknl “’ entering and theft, two of wilful damage and one of false nretenee*. The Magistrate said that in view SS"Se‘?.± lI ” 8S »« ra -^ rs f ean J . f? e ’d said that the accused ad e ! lteriE K cisilt houses and stealing i 2 tS I frOln thein ‘ llc ransacked most ot the houses, and m three of them uncoupled the wireless equipment. In one of the houses he found a tin of sardines and a tin of pineapple, and the contents of born were eaten. He then cut and destroyed a new shoe which he found. Several days later he picked some peas in a garden and soid them at 2d. per lb. At another house he stole £4, and having found a fry mg pan in a cupboard, fried some eggs on the gas stove and consumed them on the couch m the front room. He then opened a tin of pineapples, ate half of it and plastered the rest on the bricks of the fireplace. To cap everything, he wrote a most indecent letter concerning the owner’s wife. Later on he conceived the idea of collecting money on a bogus subscription list for the. Anglican Boys’ Building Fund. Other houses were visited on subsequent dates and were thorough.lv ransacked. In each case he was searching for money. Most of the money was spent on sweets, at the pictures, and at the Wellington Zoo. Referring to the letter which was signed “ The Mystery Man,” underneath which was a drawing of two crossed pistols, the Magistrate remarked that it looked like the result of going to the pictures. Mr Bullivant ((Child Welfare* officer) stated that he bad been to the accused’s home and could offer no excuse for his conduct. His parents said that he did not read much and hardly ever went to the pictures. Observing, that the accused was too young for the Borstal Institute, the Magistrate ordered him to be sent to Weraroa.