CAUGHT IN THE ACT.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 45, 30 March 1914, Page 10

CAUGHT IN THE ACT.

BREAKING AND ENTERING.

At the Magistrate's Court this afternoon, before Messrs T. Wallace and H. Crowther, .TJVs, Albert John Laurence was charged that on the 29th ; inst. he. did" break and enter the premises ,of the • Provincial Hotel and did <-steal therefrom three bottles of whisky* and two packets of cigarettes, valued 'at 16/-, the property of George lies. , Sub-Inspector M'Kinnon, conducted the case for the prosecution, and Mr M. Donnelly appeared'for the accused; The Sub-Inspector said that Vthe facts seemed to be that about 3.o'clock on the morning of the 29th the daughter of the licensee heard a noise , outside the batch that she took to be someone interfering with the door of the cellar opening upon the footpath in Barbadoes Street. .She went to her father and told him. Mr lies got up, and, wtih his son, found accused in the bar. They, rang up for the police. The. constable arrived and, found three bottles of whisky in accused's possession and two packets of cigarettes. Entrance was effected through the trap door.

Julia, lies, in her evidence, stated that she was the daughter of the licensee of the Provincial Hotel. Yesterday morning she could not get to sleep, and she heard a noise which sefemed to come from the cellar hatch in - Barbadoes Street. Witness got up and went to her father's room, having first looked through the window when i t seemed that a light had been switched out. Her father and brother went down the pasasge, and witness, on . going back to her room, heard a noise as if some bottles had been' knocked down.

George Isles, licensee, said after being' called by his daughter he went downstairs to the bar, and saw the figure of a man crouched. The son covered him with a revolver, and witness went inside the bar and discovered the accused. The witness was still in -the bar when " the constable arrived. They had found that the inner cellar hatch was open, and witness concluded that entrance had been effected from outside hatch.*- Witness stated that the outside hatch had not been locked on Saturday night. The accused had no right on the premises. Mr Donnelly stated that he understood the'accused had not broken in to the bar, but simply got through the hatch.

Mr Isles: The hatch was large and heavy, and would have to be forced open by some heavy object like a cold chisel.

Mr Donnelly:. Was accused inebriated ? Mr Isles: He was when he was discovered. The constable took a broken bottle of whisky out of each pocket. Herbert lies, a son of the last witness, stated that he know the accused. Witness was called early yesterday morning by his sister. He loaded a revolver, unsheathed a sword, and went downstairs to see the hatch which was down. They went into the bar, and witness, seeing accused, immediately cohered him with a revolver and told him to put his hands up. Witness covered him with his revolver until the police arrived. Accused had two broken bottles of whisky in his pockets, and two packets of cigarettes. Constable O 'Dea stated that when he arrived he found Mr lies in the passage and his son in the bar covering accused with a revolver. Witness asked him what he Avas doing, and accused did not speak. Witness then charged him with breaking and entering, and accused said, ''l've done it now! " Witness went on to state that accused had a broken bottle of whisky in each pocket and two packets of cigarettes. George lies, recalled, said, that he had removed the drawer of the cash register on the Saturday niglrt, and, examining it afterwards, it showed signs that the 2/- key had been rung. Accused pleaded guilty, and was committed to the Supreme Court for sentence.