"Stop Him!"

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 8, 9 January 1914, Page 5

"Stop Him!"

A RACECOURSE INCIDENT.

ALLECED THEFT OF A PURSE.

At the Stafford Police Court t! is morning before Messrs C. D. Sole am! J. Masters, J.P.'s, Robert Johnstm of Auckland, was charged with that he did on the firs', January, \Hsi, on the Stratford Racecourse, -teal from the person of,Daniel Barry, a purse containing £2 Os Gd. The accused was represented by Mr Stanford (of Messrs Spenco and Stanford). • . Daniel Barry, farmer, residing at Hawera, gave evidence thai he was at the Stratford llaces on the Ist January last, and after the last lace was run he was near the tolalisator going to collect his dividend when he felt someone put his hand m hr.s left liand trousers pocket, in which pocket was his purse containing i 2 Os Gd. He also-felt his coat pulled f:om the right side. Immediately, be paid, I put down my hand and found my purse gone. I saw the accused standing by my side.

• "How close was he?" said Sergeant McNeely, who conducted the prosecution.

Hardly two feet from me. I said: ''You iiave got my pursj, "u;ve it up.'' The man then faa r.waj i called out: "Stop!" Stop him!" several times. Accused tan tn.-ough >he crowd tov.urds the entrant* to the grandstand. I ran alter him and was able to keep my eye ">n luin all tlie time until the pJice arrested him. '

When did you have your purse ? said sergt. McXeely; "I know I had my purse when I went to collect my dividend." Cross-examined hy Mr Stanfard: There were a lot of other people around Mr Barry ? Yes sir., It is quite possible that he might not be the man? "He is the man, alright; there is no mistake about the man." i

George Sadler, hotel porter of the Criterion Hotel, New Plymouth, giving evidence, said.he was at the race's on the day in question near the totalisator waiting for a friend who was collecting on the last race, when he saw Mr Barry standing about three or four yards from the totalisator. Asked by the Sergeant if he noticed any person standing close to Mr Barry, witness replied yes; the accused. He saw him tug Barry's .coat on the righthand fcide.l saw Barry turn round and say a few words to him and then accused ran away. Mr Barry ran after him. Mr Barry shouted for the police two or three times. After he ran in the crowd! saw no more of him. The witness replying to Mr Stanford, said he had not seen the accused .before. William Andrew-'G or bey.-warder at H.M. Prison, New Plymouth, giving evidence, stated lie was at the Stratford races oil New Year's Day, standing near the totalisator, when he heard a man sing out: "Police! Police! Stop him! He has got my purse." The cry came from among the crowd, and I then saw a man tripped up just alongside my feet. I never saw the man (the accused) before he was tripped up. He seemed to throw something away like a purse when he fel. It seemed to be a black purse. Some tall man, witness added, then.collared him round the neck. The Sergeant then came and he was arrested. A hoy then' said: "Here's the purse Sergeant." . .' William Jury, draper, of Waitara, the next witness, stated he was at the Stratford races on New Year's Day on

the step coining oft' the grandstand

at the corner next the totalisator,when ' he heard Mr Barry sing out, and saw a man running, being chased

by Mr Barry, and when he got to the

corner of the grandstand he drop down. As he was tripped, said witness, I saw a purse "fly out." It was a dark purse of medium size. Sergeant MeNeely, Sergeant of

Police, stationed at Stratford, giving evidence, said ho was on duty at the Stratford races last New Year's Day, and ha saw Mr Barry in hot pursuit of the man. He ran to head the man

cff, keeping his eye on <him all the

time. Ho was dodging through the crowd in a crouched position with his

head well down

When he reached

near the end of the grandstand he was tripped up. When he regained his feet he I'au back to somewhere in the direction of where he started from

and was surrounded and arrested by witness. A youth in the crowd handed witness a purse and said in the presence of the accused: "Here's the purse, Sergeant; ho threw it away." Accused said: "I have twelve one pound notes in my pocket all my own." Witness, continuing, said: "I took him to the Stewards' room and searched him. When the purse was handed to me, Mr Barry claimed it as his."

Asked if he had anything to say, the accused said he had nothing to say, and his solicitor pleaded Dot guilty. He was accordingly committed to prison to appear at the Supreme Court, Xew Plymouth, on the 3rd. of February next.

Application was made by accused's solicitor for the reduction of the amount of bail, being two sureties of £IOO each, but as the police informed the Court that accused would not give any particulars of bis address or antecedents the - application was not acceeded to, and he was committed to appear as stated.