ARRESTED ON MALOLO

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 836, 3 December 1929, Page 1

ARRESTED ON MALOLO

Fireman Fleeces Friend

GAOL IF £23 NOT RETURNED

AFTER going through the pockets of a kindly North Aucklander in his bedroom at a City hotel on Monday morning, Edward Blakeney O’Reilly was arrested in his quarters on the Malolo at noon yesterday. At the Police Court this morning he was told by Mr. F. K. Hunt, S.M., that, unless the money, £23, were returned by three o’clock this afternoon, he would be sentenced to six months’ imprisonment.

O'Reilly, a fireman, aged 22, pleaded not guilty, with a pronounced American accent, to a charge of stealing £23 belonging to Ernest Shine on Monday morning. He was confident in court and cross-examined the chief witness closely. A shock of dark hair intensified the extreme pallor of his complexion. Ernest Shine said that he came from Waiharahara, North Auckland, where he was postmaster and storekeeper. He was staying at an hotel in the City and met accused on Sunday evening. The man had said that he was off the Malolo. The Magistrate: In what capacity—a millionaire passenger? “He said he was an engineer,” added' witness. “I bought a few drinks for him and paid for a bed for him, as he seemed hard up. He shared my room.” Shine Said that, before going to bed. he had locked the door. He then had £3O in notes in his.trouser pocket. He hung his clothes at the foot of the bed. At about 3.30 in the morning he had been disturbed by accused coming to the foot of his bed. He had said that he was on duty at four o’clock and must get back to the ship. “Directly he had gone 1 looked in the pocket of my trousers and missed £23,” added witness. “I reported the affair to the wharf police and visited the Malolo with DetectiveSergeant McHugh. There we found O’Reilly in bed.” The Chief-Detective: What was ne on the boat? Witness: The second engineer, 3 think. The Chief-Detective: Well, you found him asleep in the firemen’s quarters. NOTES UNDER MATTRESS According to Shine, four crumpled pound notes had been found beneath accused’s mattress. “I can identify one note because there is a holt burur. in it with a cigarette,” he said. "I often burn holes in banknotes.” The Chief-Detective: Light your pipe with them, I suppose? Witness: No, not that bad, but it’s a good way of identifying them. Shine mentioned an offer said to have been made by O’Reilly to return the money out of his wages. O’Reilly rigorously cross-examined

J Shine, but elicited little beyond lha j fact that witness was not sure ot th* | exact time they had gone to bed. Detective-Sergeant McHugh said that O'Reilly had denied any knowledge of the notes found under his mattress on the Malolo. He had admitted sleeping in the same room as Shine at the hotel and offered to make up the balance of the missing money out of his wages. The second engineer, however, had said that he had only £5 10s due to him. O’Reilly said ihst he had awakened Shine to say gitd-bye. “If I had wanted to steal his money I would hardly have done that," he urged. Accused described himself as an IrishAmerican. He had joined the Malolo at the Philippine Islands a month ago. He had no knowledge of the notes found under his mattress. “Had l known they were there, they would not have remained there long.” he said. His reason for offering to pay over money out of his wages was that he wanted no trouble on the ship. He had spent two years in the Philippines and wanted to get home to the States. His mother was in New York. WIPER OR GREASER? Wearing a striking pea-green shirt and heavy tortoise-shell rimmed glasfes, Raymond Schneider said that O'Reilly had money when the ship was coming across from Australia. Witness described bimself as a wiper, which was translated by the chief detective as a greaser, a term that did not seem to appeal to Schneider. “He is convicted.” said the magistrate. "The ship sails today, gnd you knovr nothing of him.” The Chief-Detective: We don't want him here. The Magistrate: Yes, but if 1 let him go without punishment it will only be an encouragement to thieves. The Chief-Detective: I would suggest that your Worship make it a fine. The man’s mates will help him. The Magistrate: Of course. They cut the money up between them. O'Reilly will get six months if the money is not found by three o'clock this afternoon.” O’Reilly was remanded for sentence for four hours.