THEFT ABOARD VESSEL

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19122, 17 September 1936, Page 6

THEFT ABOARD VESSEL

STEWARD AND BOY PLEA FOR. LENIENCY (Per Press Association.) WELLINGTON, this day. _ ‘ A great deal lias been made of this case because a Scotland Yard detective was travelling in the. ship, but from what 1 van ascertain that officer was not required to take any part in the solving of the mystery,” said: Mr. P. Verschaffelt in the Supremo Court, in making a plea for leniency on behalf of Frederick James, aged 26 years, a steward, and Peter Joint Frederick .Ransom, aged 16, a steward’s boy, who bad pleaded guilty in tiie lower court to charges of stealing £4lO in money and letters of credit and a. hank draft to a. total value of £7lO in the Baugitane between Panama and Wellington.

Mr. Justice Smith remanded them till to-morrow to consider a. suggestion of deportation. Mr. Ver.scha licit said it was simply a 'foolish escapade that could not- have ended otherwise than in disaster. When taxed by the chief steward, both made a clean breast of the alfair, and the whole of the money taken from the safe was returned. .Some documents unfortunately had been thrown overboard. The prisoners had been in custody for some time and had been signed off the ship and had lost any prospect with their former employers. He asked for probation, and -said that neither of the accused wished to remain in New Zealand.