A BURGLAR’S STORY.

Pahiatua Herald, Volume XII, Issue 2376, 5 June 1906, Page 2

A BURGLAR’S STORY.

REMARKABLE RECORD OB' A CONVICTED CRIMINAL. FORTY YEARS IN GAOL. A LIFE OF CRIME AND ITS PUNISHMENT. (“Evening Post.” Sixty-eight years of age with a long record of crime behind him, George Lee stood in the dock last week and related in brief the history of fiis life. As a sermon on the text, “Honesty is the best policy,” it was eloquent to a degree, while the old man himself formed a remarkable instance of the failure of our prison methods to reform. Lee had been found guilty last week of several charges of breaking and entering houses in Wellington and stealing jewellery t beret rom, and was asked the usual question, “Have you anything to say why the sentence of the court should not be passed upon you:'’’ “I scarcely know what to say,” he replied, “after the terrible character your Honour has heard about me.” It was, he went on to say, fifty years ago since he first landed in New Zealand. He was then 18 years of age, an apprentice on a ship, from winch he deserted at Lyttelton. Later on he served in the Maori war, but after that unfortunately he went to New South Wales, fell into bad company, and commenced a criminal career. His Honour had said he (prisoner) was an expert burglar, hut the time he had been in gaol proved that lie had been a bungler at the game. He had never had a chance. His Honour would see the terrible sentences he had done. He had been out ot gaol and in again. The last time lie finished his sentence in New South Wales, in 1901. the Controller-Gener-al asked him if he would like to go to New Zealand. He replied that he would, and bis fare was paid, and islanded in Wellington with 16s in his pocket. He persevered hard, and thoroughly made up his mind that lie would try and lead all holiest lite. He watched the papers to see it he could see an advertisement. “Wanted, an old man.” He could not do hard laborious work, because he was old. If he had seen such an advertisement, it it had been only a tew shillings a week and his food, he would gladly have jumped at it. He paid -6s tor his room, and at the end ot the week he had no money lott and had to leave his room. Then lie knew w bat it w as to lie out in the cold w ithout bed and to go without food. Y\ hat was the consequence:' He tell hack into evil courses, and it was a shoit time before be was taken in Dunedin. and received a sentence ol five years. Alter doing that sentence ne cairn to Wellington and again watched the papers. It was no good. He found out that they did not want an old man. He fell hack again into evil courses, and alter a few months lie was again before the court. B'or the last forty years he had only had a tew months out of gaol. “You must admit I have led a miserable lile. said the prisoner with some show ot feeling, and be asked His Honour, m view ot that, to give him one more chance, and lie promised faithfully j that lie would never again appear hcI tore a court ot justice. Ilis Honour aid prisoner had Imd a | great number ol ( bailees. He began stealing so far hack as in 1866. and lie had been guily of burglary tor which lie got fourteen years in Sydney ; house-breaking in Sydney, live years; having housebreaking implements, hvc yens; and in Dunedin, housebreaking, tour charges, live years. 1 “In my opinion, your reform is im-

possible,” said His Honour, “and the > proper thing to do is that you should be kept from preying on society by being kept in gaol for the rest of your life.” He was not, however, going to inflict that sentence. He had power to inflict a sentence of forty-two years’ imprisonment under the law, but he should only inflict the sentence usually passed in this class of offence. He believed thac prisoner’s was a case in which it was absurd to think that any reform was possible. Prisoner was no sooner out of gaol than he began housebreaking again, and from the evidence that had come out he believed he had been guilty of more housebreaking than he had been convicted of. His Honour then passed sentence on the various charges aggregating seven years, to commence at the end of the sentence of six months which he is now serving for having skeleton keys in his possession at Napier. As to the jewellery found on prisoner, and which had been identified by witnesses that would be returned to the owners. The money found on him Mr Myers said there were other cases pending against accused, more recently than the YVellington cases, from Christchurch, were money was taken. His Honour said that under those circumstances the disposition of tlie money would be held over for further consideration.