THEFT FROM A SHOP.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLVI, Issue 15079, 29 November 1919, Page 5

THEFT FROM A SHOP.

• At the Police Court/ to-day William L"ecU Rhodes; ' aged 41 ? was' 'charged that" on October 28, ho stole an oil Cbat valued at £3 15s, the property of James Thomson. — Sergeant darkson said the coat was taken from outside a shop m Peel S'treett, '-and' sold to a. man for £1 ss. It was subsequently found by Thomson : n tlie purchaser's cart iii a stable yard. When arrested by Constabe Butterwcrth, accused said, "I was just looking for the owner to square it. I was drtmk at' the ,time I took the" coat."' He rifeo said .Tie -was -just going around to the Police Station. -;-f James ' Thomson, saddler, claimed' th'tv coat; which h.-td beferi hanging outside -his shop.^— Accused|s '•Ist disclosed 21 offences, .dating -from April 3, 1905. They principally ilfences attributable to drink, and Sergt. Clarlcson characterised horn as, "quite an honest maii when sober." ; Ac'crifedd 'had served hi^' 'country and • h'hd earhed the D.C.M. 'at' - 'Armentieres.-T-Adthessinig His Worship, accused, • referring to his said. > "I liave giyeri ..ail that up now," that he 'was wiHirig'W -«i orohibition order to be taken outVagairiat v un. — His Worship made a prohibition ,>rder against, accused, and fined him £5. with 12s ' costs,- or 14 days' : iri^prisbnment. "Three -weeks were allowed •m wliich to pay the fine.— '-'Sei'gt. Clarkson Tientioned that- the" man who had bought the coat'wais £1' 5s out of pocket, '-le had bought the coat m good faith. — His Worship said! he considered that for 1 % man to pay £1 5s to a drunken man' for a. rie*v- bii^iri a '\va'S''the^''sbM -of thing < /.hat madfr; steajing! profitable. He order- >j \d accitsM to <• refund* '-t\ip £1 ss, but-J idded that he had little sympathy with L he -person. '•- ; '-, ' v ■ 1