THEFT FROM A DWELLING.

Colonist, Volume III, Issue 12723, 15 December 1909, Page 4 (Supplement)

THEFT FROM A DWELLING.

A young man named David La Roche, a commercial travellers' pack-

er, u-as cnargea witn stealing tno sum of £7 4s from the dweQing of Airs Emma Jackson, Nile .street, Nelson," on October 31sv. . Accused pleaded not guilty and was defended by Air Haj'es. The following jury were chosen : J. Spencer^ A. H. Hounsell, J. Saddler, AY. J. Baird, E. C. AlcConchie, D. S. Barnett, H. R. Dodson, P. A. McDonald, Al. M. AlcCormack, R. G. Hurst, E. AY. Frost and J. W. Marris (foreman). ' Four judymen . were challenged by Air Fell (Crown Prosecutor), and two by the counsel for the. accused. - Air Fell outlined the facts of the case and called the following evidence. -Emma Jackson, stated she kept a few boarders at her private house in Nile street. She went to church on the" evening of the 31st October _in company with several of tlie inmates, leaving bcj-iind accused and Richards. When she returned after church Richaids was alone in the house. Hall (from whom the money was stolen) and accused occripied one of the front rooms. On their return from church it was discovered that the, rooms had been ransacked and £.7 4s stolen from Mr Hall. On sth November they were talking of the robbery and accused said he was all right as the detective had bean to the sample rooriis arid seen the traveller who was with him on the Sunday night. The candlestick which was found in the passage came : from Had's room, where it stood on the mantlepiece behind a photo frame. Accused paid her £4 altogether for | board, including a" £i -National Bank ; note after the theft. By Air Hayes: Other inmates of the house would kuow where -the 1 candlestick was kept if they had been in' the habit of going into the rooms. -. She, knew where Hall kept his money. The hoarders: might: go into each other's rooms. A person sitting /on the verandah' ought to -have noticed anyone return to the house after go- ' ing out the front way." " James E. Hall, picture fromer, who boards at Mrs Jackson's, deposed that j on reiturning from church on 31st Oct ober, about 8.45, p.m. he found the clothes that were hanging in the ward robe on the floor. In a box "on the table were six £1 National Bank notes,' four shillings in silver, and some jewellery. The money was taken but the jewellery was left. He and the-ac-cused were on good terms. He heard the accused say that he was all. right as the detective had seen the traveller, who was with him on the Sundaynight. By Air Hayes: Accused would prob-ably-know that" he did not keep his money in his clothes. The person who was in the room that night hadliandled accused's, clothes as well as his own. AYitness|, clothes and accused's clothes" were-/ kept in .the same wardrobe. -: After the robbery accused teldhiin that lie had sent: ;fc3. away. -He had talked about the case with Mrs Jackson^ suice it was heard in the Magistrate's* Court. Edwin W. Rudman, post office, savings bank clerk, stated that accused opened an account at the post office on November 4th, and deposited £5, four single National Bank notes,, half a sovereign, arid the rest in. silver. Onewas a clean crisp note and the others were fairly clean." :. Thomas Richards, a clerk in the Pub-,, lie-". Trust Office; stated that on the date of the robbery he was boardiug it Airs Jackson's. After the others left for church he and accused were: left -'i-ri the house. Accused went out before ho did, down the front verandah. He could have seen if accused i-eturiic.d, but after accused left he went into Hall's room and looked at the pictures there. He then went and got. a book/from his room arid went te the verandah. He went for a walk about a quarterto seven and returnedat a few minutes to eight. , While he ivas standing at the front door before he went out he heard the door bang and fovt a draught. 7~ - By Air- Hayes: He had^beon -rintp Hall's rcorii before, but -not. since;- accused had been staying there.- He did not think it was possible for anyone to ransack the roonrbefore a quarter to seven o'clock/without his heaa-r ing them. The room .-mri's't have beeri > ransacked after that- time. Hecorild riot reihember who fie "met vvhori he went out that evening. ;7Two draiyers in his room .were opened on the night of the robbery. : . . - Constable Fitzsimmons deposed that on November 6 accused: made .a stater ment to him as to his movements on the night of the robbery. Accused also . signed a : statement of earned by him since October 12th, i amount ing to"£7 los. This amount was subsequently reduced to £6. Accused, said that i he'had banked £5, paid £3 for board, and had lost 10s. He had £2 aud some - silver when he arrived j in Nelson. Accused denied sending £3'awajv No commercial traveller had told him that accused -was with him on the night of the robberyBy Mr Hayes: Mrs Lucy Jackson informed hiiri that she saw accused near Griffin's mill after 6.30 on the evening of the robbery./Ho made his statement awj to tlie^thvOctober, and " accused paid Mrs Jackson another. £l aiftex that. date. -'//.jri'' :; This concluded' the 'case for the prosecution and the Court adjourned untiMO o'clock this morning.