Police Court

Southland Times, Issue 19681, 7 October 1905, Page 1

Police Court

FRIDAY, Oth OCTOBER

(Before Mr S. E. McCarthy, S.M.) THEFT. Hurry Crawford pleaded ” guilty " to tlie theft of several brushes, razors, combs and handkerchiefs from bedrooms in Deschler’s Hotel on

Wednesday last. The total value of the stolen property was Ji2 Is. Inspector Mitchell said that having regard to the class of articles stolen, coupled with the fact that he was found asleep in an outhouse on the hotel premises some unnecessary time after the" theft, with the articles

bulging out of his pockets, his Worship would probably be led to be'licve that drink had a great deal to

do with the action of the accused. Crawford had a respectable family aud as the stain of imprisonment would probably lie more felt by

them than by him, he (the Inspector) suggested that the accused should be sentenced to a term of imprisonment, the warrant not to be executed if Crawford abstained from liquor for twleve months. If the accused knew

that, imprisonment would follow if he touched drink it might prove a very strong incentive to him to leave

it alone. —The Magistrate said that it was clear that Crawford was not a regular criminal, but under the influence of drink he had committed a. criminal act. The Court pvould impose a sentence of two months' imprisonrhent, warrant not to be executed if accused abstained from alcoholic refreshment for twqlve months. It was no use the accused trying to be a moderate drinker—he would be either a total abstainer or. a drunkard. The Court was giving him a chance to escape the indignity, of imprisonment and hoped that the advice tendered would be taken. A prohibition order would issue, to pply to Invercargill, Awarua, and Wallace districts. LOBBY THEFT.

Hamilton Ross Gibson, who was admitted to probation for a term of twelve months on Friday last for the theft of a gold watch and chain, was charged with on May 22 stealing a Chesterfield/overcoat valued a t £ I lOs. He pleaded “ Not guilty,” and

elected to bo dealt with summarily. Inspector Mitchell stated that the coat, the property of Robert Pren-

tice, tailor,, was stolen from the passage in Deschler’s , Hotel. —Evidence was given by Robert Prentice, T. Kett, J. McNeil, Detective Mcllveveney, and Constable Powell.—Accused, who offered no defence, was sentenced to a month’s imprisonment.