Police Court.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVI, Issue 255, 1 November 1904, Page 4

Police Court.

At the Police Court on Monday Harry Darcy, ou remand, pleaded 'not guilty" to a charge oi stealing a bundle of books, 1 e 17s, the property of MH C. 0. Hawke

DeWctive Benjamin prosecuted on behali of the police, Mr C. II Weston (Weston and Weston) defending, lhe detective said that on the night of Saturday. Oct. 22, Constables Uuttiuiore and Hadler saw accused with the books, and 'becoming suspicious, asked where he got them and not being satisfied, to 0 k hijn to Hawke's shop in Eguiont-street, where young Hawke examined the book*,.

I'red Hawke, aged 14, identified the books (produced) as the property of his father, as hu knew tho prices marked thereon were his figures. He had not sold the books to accusttdl William Citibanks, who lion oharge of the Egmont-atrtot shop, said in the shop were books similar to those in Court, the stiffbacked owe being placed outside the door, none being sold. They were taken in aC ten o'clock!, but he did not notice more than one or two missing until the police came with Darcy. With some taken from inside the door there were eight or nine missing.

C. 0. Hawke gave evidence that the paper-cover boots were similar to a recent shipment from London, and the sciff-backed oiks were also in stock. He thought he ,was the only importer in New Plymouth of one line.

Constabfe Buttimore deposed that with Constable Hadler he was in Cgmont-street on the night in gtios<Jon, and saw Darcy standing ut the hoarding at the corner of Kingstreet. Ha'was trying to hide the books (produced) and when questioned, said a friend had given him the books. He could n o t tell the name of the fi iend, who, he said, had gone to get some more. Accused was taken to Hawke's shop, where the books were identified.

Mr Weston said the defence was that a friend of accused's had bought the books and given them to Darcy to keep .while he went for a certain periodical. He said the police had been given some books found in a ' paddock near by, which made it api pear that someone had thrown them [away on the approach of the constables.

Accused gave evidence that on the Saturday night he met a young fellow who went into Hawke's shop to buy some books. On coming out, ho asked Darcy to mind the books while he went back for a particular book ho wanted. While waiting the police came up, and he went to the shop with them as he thought to meet tho other man there.

Cross-examined by Detective Benjamin, accused admitted serving three months in Wellington for theft, and he told the Magistrate that he had once appeared before His Worship in Auckland on a ch a rge of obstructing the traffic. Accused described the man who gave Mm tho books, saying he was short and dark with a moustache.

Constable Mcßae was tailed by the de.ence in order to give evidence that some books had been given to him by a lady who said she found them in her back-yard. The S.M. said the story of accused was a mera myth, and accused was convicted and sentenced to two imprisonment. As regards the books the S.M. said that unless Mr Hawko could positively identify them as being his own propeity, the police would have to take the responsibility of returning them.