AN EMPLOYEE'S EXCUSE

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LII, Issue 17158, 7 October 1926, Page 11

AN EMPLOYEE'S EXCUSE

FOUND IN BREWERY OFFICE When the manager of St. Albans Brewery, summoned by a passer-by en- ■ tered the brewery on the night of September 29, he found an employee, Robert James Eoote, in the counting house. Foote locked the door, but eventually came out in time to meet a constable, who arrested him. As a consequence Foote, a motor driver, aged 37, appeared before Mr. 11. A. Young, S.M., in Court, at Christchurch, charged with having broken and entered the counting house of the St. Albans Brewery with intent to commit a crime. A plea of not guilty was entered. Foote, in evidence, said that he was a married man with seven children, of whom the eldest was 11 years old and . the youngest six months old. The family occupied three rooms. On the evening ii) question he got home from tire brewery about 6 o'clwkv' Me hud a bit of a tiff with his wife and puton his hat and coat and went out. He went to the foreman's house, but it was in darkness, so witness did not go in. I]?, went to the brewery and on the way .he saw someone coining behind him. He allowed this woman to pass J and .then returned to the brewery. He, went round to the motor lorry with [the intention of sleeping irj it, If was i lull up, Witness' feet were sore, so he 'look his boots off, Hat down on the lorry and had fl smoke, While there he heard a noise in the front. He waited and listened and then walked j round to the front. Seeing nobody about he sat down on the office doorstep, Ofl It'aniiig bftok (he door opened. j He got up and went in and struck a match. Everything seemed all right J and witness went out again. He heard fa noise at the gale, so he went hack into ,{ho office and closed the door, waiting jto gee. wbfl (liny WPFP, Two people came in but he did not know who they i were. When ho found the manager was there he immediately opened the ' door. Then a constable arrived and 'searched witness and took \m\ to (lie St. Albans police station aul charged him with breaking and cnti^ug The magistrate hejii (hat jheiv whs a prima facie case. Foots w'si committed to the Supreme Court l'ortrial. Bail was allowed in his own recomisanee of £SO.