INNOCENT MAN’S ARREST

Stratford Evening Post, Issue 19, 17 August 1928, Page 8

INNOCENT MAN’S ARREST

A LOST PURSE. DiISCOVE R Y FOLLOWS .OH ARC 8.. LONDON. A pleasant and, surprising development has followed a case which was heart! at the North London Police Court, in which Walter Grcatbanks, of), a motor-driver, of Dnrrington, Read, Clapton Pa;k, was, at hi s own request, committed to the London Sessions for trial on a charge of steal-, ing a imr.se continuing £ll IGs, belonging tt) Mrs 1 Rebecca (Solomciis, of Fonlden Road, West Hackney. Late the same night me purse was* found) at Mrs Solomons’s house. Mrs Solomons stated in Court, when the ease was heard, that Greatbanks,, who is the driver of an elec-, trie dust wagon belonging to the, Hackney Borough Council, called at her house to collect " refuse when she tilts washing one of her boys in the; scullery. 1 She give him two pennies, and placed her purse on the copper. Greatbanks had to go through the liouse for another load, and she went into* the sitting-room to get her eldest sou ready for school. 'When she was about to give him a penny she found that her purse had "gone. After searching the rooms islie went after the (djustman, who. was then across the road, and accused him of having taken her puree. Ho denied all knowledge of it. Detect! ve-sergea nt H. Hawkins said he caused the refuse in .the van to be searched, but no trace had been; found of th© purse. Greatbanks had only two pennies in his possession when arrested.

Greatbanks, in evidence, denied the charge, tuid said that when the accusation was made against him hej ceased work.ng, and sent for the police. When committing Greatbanks for trial at his own request, Mr Samuel Pop© allowed bail in one surety of £2O, and Mr Frederick Dowse, a road surveyor in the employ of the Hackney jLorouglh Council, offered hinisqlf Us surety. Following the magistrate’s decision l the police searched a number of gardens in the 'hope of finding the purse. Late at night it was discovered at the house of Mrs Solomons. In an interview with a. Press representative Mr s Solomons, who had gone to the court to see the magistrate with a view to securing the release of Greatbanks, u tid: “The purse was found by my maid in the kitchen among some washing. T had previously searched this room and the washing, and so had DetectiveSergeant Hawkins, but could find no trace of it. How it got there lam at a lolss to und?rstl md. ImmediateI found this out I went to the police and my son-in-law went to Mr Greutbanks’s house te let him kouw.”

oongr.atuGations in court. Greatlaankg attended at North London Police Court in the afternoon and was formally discharged. Addressing him, Air Pope, the magistrate, said, “I want to ccngi|.»-tulate you and the woman (Mrs Solomons) —the woman on finding her money, and taking iinmedHate steps to put the matter right, and you on having the matter cleared up so quickly, so thoroughly, and so completely. There is no reflection of any , kind on your diameter, and it must bo a great sat-* isfacticu to your employers. The woman, I believe, was sincere and not actuated by wrong motives in giving her evidence. My view is that the matter should he made up to yen.” Airs Solomons: Oh, yes, sir. Air Pope (to Greatbanks): Now you have the comfort of leaving the court, your employers knowing you are honest and .sir light-forward, and that nothing of this affair costs any reflection on your character. 1 congratulate you. The charge' sheet was marked “Purse reported found intact and charge withdrawn.”