Buckley and Baller

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 419, 30 July 1928, Page 1

Buckley and Baller

PRISON ESCAPEES ADMIT THEFTS

Both Committed for Trial

JOHN LESLIE BUCKLEY, aged 25. and Frank Bailer. aged 26. appeared at the Police Court this morning before Mr. A. J. Stratford, J.P., and Mr. I\. T. Michaels. J.P.. to face charges of breaking, entering, and theft, relating to their escapades while at liberty after breaking prison on flay 25. All entrances to the Court were guarded by constables and prison warders.

Both men pleaded guilty to three charges of theft and one cf converting to their own use a boat. Buckley, in addition, pleaded guilty to threJ further charges of breaking, entering and theft. The charges were that on May -b they stole clothing valued at £3 from

Ralph Ainger Vibert, and on the same date converted to their own use a boat valued at £B, the property of Charles Francis de Berg; that on May 27 they stole a sail, blankets, cooking utensils, a primus lamp and foodstuffs valued at £7, the property of Alfred Aitcheson Cross, and on the same date foodstuffs and a tent valued at £lO, the property of Hugh Douglas Guthrie. On the charge of converting the boat both men were convicted and discharged, being committed to the Supreme Court for trial on the remaining counts. Further charges against Buckley were that on June 28 he broke and entered the house of Margaret Patterson, a single woman residing at Turama Road, Royal Oak, where he stole

jewellery valued at £33; that on Juno 30 he broke into the house of Ronald McMillan Algie, from whose residence. Remuera Road, he stole 40 gramophone records, jewellery and in money. v%iued at £3B 15s. The last charge was that on June 23 he broke into the homo of Isabella Whitelaw, 20 Arney Road, where stole seven frocks and an electric iron, valued at £ 33. To these charges Buckley had nothing to say, except that he was sorry the ladies in question had been troubled. “In regard to the money taken from Professor Algie’s house.” he said, “I now understand that it was the property of the servant girl. As she is in the poorest circumstances of anyone whose home 1 ransacked I would like the 33s found on me when I was arrested to be handed to her as restitution.” Formal evidence of the discovery of the thefts and identification of the articles taken was given by the persons concerned. On these charges, to which he also pleaded guilty, Buckley was committed to the Supreme Court for trial.