THEFT OF A RING

Southland Times, Issue 19515, 15 May 1922, Page 6

THEFT OF A RING

YOUNG WOMAN BEFORE THE COURT. The unusual happening of a sitting of the Magistrate’s Court being held under the glare of gaslight took place at Invercargill on Saturday, when at the request of the police an evening sitting of the Court to deal with a case, was taken by Mr G. Cruickshank, S.M. The same case had come before his Worship in the morning when a young woman. Alice Leewelyan Lord was charged with stealing a diamond ring valued at £l9, the property of A. D. Burn. At that time the police applied for, and were granted, a remand till Wednesday. Later in the day, however, the police came into possession of facts concnerning the woman, which made it possible to proceed with the case. The remand would have meant that the woman would have to remain in custody till Wednesday and as she was separated from her husband and had a child waiting for her at Dunedin, the Magistrate decided to deal with the case at seven o’clock that night. The accused who was represented by Mr Stout pleaded guilty. Mr Stout said that she belonged to Canterbury where she had respectable connections. She was married and had three children. She was separated from her husband by proceedings taken by herself. The hufcband was apparently a worthless character and the accused had no assistance from him at all. She had been struggling away to make a living for herself and family since then and had hitherto been of unblemished character. She had come south on a holiday and while there the offence had been committed. She had apparently yeilded to sudden tempttation. He suggested that she should be sentenced to come up for sentence when called upon. Acting-detective Lean said the accused had gone into the shop of Mr Bum and had asked to see some diamond rings , but when shown some she said she could not pay the price asked for them. When she left, the ring was missing and subseqently was found in her possession. “Where was it found?” asked his Worship. “In her shoe,” replied the detective. Continuing he said, he thought the course suggested by Mr Stout would meet the case. Nothing was known against the woman. His Worship said it was a difficult case. He had to protect shopkeepers and he did not see anything else but that the accused went into the shop to steal. The probation officer said he thought the suggestion made by Mr Stout was the best course. “Being brought before the Court will be a lesson for her. I have no doubt about that,” said the detective in answer to his Worship. His Worship entered a conviction and ordered the accused to come up for sentence when called on within the next 12 months. The ring was ordered to be returned to its owner. At the conclusion of the case, Mr Stout thanked his Worship for having taken the case under the circumstances that had arisen and also thanked Sergeant. Scandrett and acting-detective Lean for the consideration they had shown to the accused.