HUSTON’S PAST CAREER.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIV, Issue 68, 13 November 1912, Page 8

HUSTON’S PAST CAREER.

Huston, the notorious burglar and prison breaker, whose last offences were reported last week, landed in Auckland in December, 1908, and taking up his residence at the Waitemata Hotel, robbed a doctor of £35 on the night of the day upon which he arrived. After this haul he lost no time in disappearing from Auckland, and made his way right down to Invercargill, staying at the best hotels en route. Eventually Huston returned to Auckland, and engaged a room at the Star Hotel, then leased by Mil' Elliott, where he was located by Detective-Sergeant Cox and Detective Skinner. During his stay he robbed four or five boarders, securing in all £25, amongst which was an Australian £5 note. This latter was found by Mrs Elliott, wife of the licensee, concealed under the matting on the floor of the lavatory adjoining Huston’s room.

Detective-Sergeant. Cox marked the note, replaced it in its hiding-place, and set a watch upon it for three days. At the end of that time the note disappeared, and Huston was shadowed wherever he went. Leaving the hotel he went on hom’d a boat that had arrived from Sydney, and attempted to cash the stolen £o note. Being Tinsuccessful he hoarded the boat just about to sail for Sydney, but aga n met with failure. He then tried each of the hanks in the city, and eventually the note was cashed at the Union Bank of Australasia, from where it was secured by Detective-Sergeant Cox. On returning to his hotel, Huston was arrested by Detective-Sergeant Cox awl DeW'Ve Skinner, and a

search of his room revealed many interesting facts. The most interesting find was a house-breaking instrument, used to unlock doors from the outside by turning the key and leaving it in the lock on the inside. In many cases Huston displayed his cleverness by carefully relocking the door when he had carried out liis burglary, and leaving the key on the inside of the door shrouded the thefts with mystery.

The ease having been heard Huston was sentenced to six months’ imprisonment for the theft of the £5 note, to three years’ imprisonment for having a house-breaking implement in his possession, and in addition he received a year for committing perjury. Having served his term he was released on April 20th last, but was re-arrested by Detective Hollis in Auckland upon a charge of having committed a burglary at the Hikurangi Hotel. He was taken to the Hikurangi “lock-up,” hut escaped, and was then re-arrested by Constable Armstrong. Once more ho escaped, and has now been recaptured at One-tree Point.

The criminal’s real name is David Lansing Huston, hut he has several aliases, namely, Miller, Warren, and Lorenzo. Ho has previous convictions against him in Australia, and is looked upon by the police as the cleverest criminal that has ever vis.ted the Dominion.