ALLEGED THEFT FROM CHINESE

Stratford Evening Post, Volume I, Issue 463, 10 June 1932, Page 3

ALLEGED THEFT FROM CHINESE

STORY OF ATTACK MOTHER AND DAUGHTER FOR TRIAL

MELBOURNE, June 3.—-A stcry ol an attack on a Chinese was told ■at the Carlton Court to-day when Ada Brook, -10 Drummond Street, Carlton, and her daughter, Rita Brook, 18, factory hand,were charged with having, on May 22, in company with a man unknown, robbed Chin Loong of | £:-]<) 10s in money, with personal vio- ! loucc. Many people attended the court to i hear the case, hut they were disap- ] pointed because it was heard in a small hack room. Through ah interpreter, and . alter having been sworn with a lighted match, Chin Loongj told the court that after having been away from borne for several hours, on May 22, he returned at 0 p.m. He) bad taken with him £39 10s in notes, silver and pc 1(1, "1 Will Shoot'’ As he stepped inside his _ house m Cardigan Street, he was seized by a man, who felt through his pockets, and said, “You give The money; A you don’t, 1 will shoot you and Jy’l you.” He was taken to a room, he said, where Rita Brook lit the lamp, ami he recognised her and her mother whom hs knew as Kate and Jeannie. Ada Brook said to the man,. “Kill him,” and the man punched him twice in the face. A shirt was placed round his head, but he continued to waten the proceedings through holes in it. Chin Loong said that Ada Brook went through his clothing and took his money which was inside his shii't He said that he definitely identified the two women. He had known them for about two years, and they had j been going to the house where he lived. "Smoking Pipes” Plainclothes-Constables Adam and Rape;- said that they took Chin Loong to a cafe in Little Botuko Street at 6.30 p.m. on May 23. The two women were there and seemed very much surprised to see them. The two women gave their names as Jones, and when questioned denied knowing Chiu Loong. Mrs. Brook said that she had been ill the previous night and had stayed in bed, and Rita Brook said that she had gone for medicine to Markov’s, hut had been served by a stranger. Rita Brook then said, “Ask him (Chin Loong) about them smoking pipes at his place. I saw Chinese smoking drugs there.” When it was pointed out to her that she had denied knowing Chin Loong, said Constable Adam, _ Rita Brook said: “I know him all right” and Mrs. Brock said that she had bought vegetables from him. They said they had given the name '* ot Jones because they thought someone was having a joke with them. “Beyond| Edgar Wallace” Mr.' J. Barnett submitted that there was no corroboration, and that Chin Loong might have lost his money during the afternoon. The lighting of a lamp so; that the assaulted man could see who was in the room and the use of a blindfold cloth with holes in .it were beyond anything Edgar j Wallace had ever written. Mr. Barnett said that he had eight or 10 witnesses to say that the women were not at the place of the robbery at the time it occurred. The Bench indicated that it thought the case was one for a jury and * m> mitted Ada Brook and Rita Brook for trial on bail of £SO each.