SERIOUS CHARGES.

Temuka Leader, Issue 10304, 2 March 1922, Page 2

SERIOUS CHARGES.

AGAINST A GIRL THEFT AND ARSON, * Ac the Magistrate’s Court, Temuka, on Tuesday, before Mr E. D. Mosley, S.M. / Edna Alma Hunt, a girl, 18 years of age, was charged with having, on the 19th February, 1922, broken into and entered the dwelling house of John Davey, Rangitira Valley, ami stolen therefrom goods, principally ladies’ wearing apparel, valued at £3O 12s. Sergeant Dwan conducted the prosecution,’ and Mr Campbell appeared for the defence. John Davey, farmer, Rangitira Valley, deposed that he loft his place at a quarter past 10 on Sunday morning, 19th inst., to go to Temuka. He saw accused on the road that day. She had no right in his place. He could not say whether all the doors were shut when he left. In consequence of some things being reported as missing he reported the matter to the police. Mrs Davey* who accompanied her husband to Tomuka, said she returned home about 1 o’clock. Knew the accused who had no right in their place.; Missed several things on her return, anti identified the articles produced as hers. Valued them/ at £9 2s. \ Eva Cole Davey, a daughter of the previous witnesses, and who left the house with them, said she was not certain whether all the doors were closed when they left. On t he Tuesday following, 22nd, she found some of her things missing. She identified the articles produced as hers. No oue had any right to remove them. Valued them at. £ls. Amy Evelyn Davey, a sister of the previous witness, said on the 22nd she missed a number of articles of clothing, valued at £5 10s, and Identified the articles produced as hers. Constable Callanan, stationed at Geraldine, deposed that on the morning of the 23rd February, he left Geraldine by the rural mail car at S a.m. Saw two brown paper parcels put 6u the ear by the mailman addressed to Mrs G. B. Williams, c/o. Mr S. Gale, Pleasant .Valley. The parcels went by the mail van, and the mailman delivered them to Mr Sam Gale, Pleasant Valley.' Saw the pacels opened and they contained the Daveys’ stolen property. Samuel Gale, farmer, Pleasant Valley, deposed to taking 1 delivery bf the parcels mentioned and to handing them over to Mrs Williams. Catherine S. O. Williams, residing with her husband' on Mr Gale’s farm, , Pleasant Valley, deposed that accused was her sister. On the 23rd February, she received two parcels by the mail. The addresses produced Were in her sister’s handwriting. She also received a letter in her sister’s handwriting. She saw the articles in the parcels; one of the parcels contained the letter produced. ’ Did not know who the parcels were from until she saw the letter. Constable Simister, stationed at ; Temuka, deposed that on complaint ' received, he,went to Mr John Davey 's 1 farm, Rangitira Valley, on the 22nd instant. After taking some finger prints and making’’inquiries, he went with Sergeant Dwan to Pleasant Valley on the 23rd instant. Saw the two parcels that had been taken by the police. Was also present when accused was interviewed the same clay, when she made a statement (produced) to Sergeant Dwan. Heard the statement read out, and was present when accused was ai ■ !. rested. Accused pleaded guilty and was committed to the Supreme Court, 1 Christchurch, for sentence. ENTERING, THEFT, AND ARSON, i The same accused was charged i with entering the dwelling house of Prank Green, Terrace Road, Waiapi Settlement, on the 2nd January, and 1 stealing therefrom a quantity of ’ ladles’ wearing apparel and housc- ’ hold goods; also with having on tho same date wilfully set fire to a I seven-roomed * dwelling house at Waiapi Settlement, the property of ' Frank Green. Sergeant Uwap conducted the prosecution, and Mr Campbell apf peared for accused. t Frank Green, 'farmer, Terrace Road, Waiapi, said on the 2nd Janu- ’ ary, he occupied a house about two miles from tho Terrace Road, Waiapi , Settlement, Temuka. Left home j about 10.30 a.m., and went to MiJi ford Lagoon sports. He left one of his daughters, Ruby, in the house. Returned about 6.30 p.m. the same ! day, and found the house burnt i down. He valued the house at £7OO, the furniture at £3OO, and piano at £6O, The house was insured for £350 and furniture and piano for £l5O, total £SOO. ' PDstimated Ills loss at £560. Mrs Green deposed that the house was perfectly safe when she left home with her husband. She was shown some property by the police i (produced), which she identified as hers. Valued it at £3 19s 6d. Elsie Green, daughter of the previous witnesses, said on tho 2nd January she went to Timaru, and returned about 6.30 p.m. She identified the articles produced as her property-, and valued them at £9 Ss Gd. The articles were in her room when she left. She knew the accused, who had no right to remove any of tho articles. She occupied a room with her sister Ruby that opened on to the verandah. Ruby Alice Green, sister of the Jast witness, said she was the last to leave home on the 2nd January. Loft at a quarter past 12 and went to the picnic. There was a fire in the kitchen until 10 o’clock. Occupied a room off the verandah with her sister Elsie. When she left, the door was closed, but not locked. All .doors were closed, the front door was locked, and all windows were closed except (he front window. When she returned home she found the house burnt down. She identified the articles produced, valued at £9 17s, as her property. She knew the accused by sight. She had no right to remove the property Mrs C. S. O. Williams deposed io her sister coming to her place on the 2nd January. Slio brought a little box with her. Witness saw the contents. (Dux and contents were produced.) Did not know what the box contained until a week before the police came. Constable Simister deposed; Was ; present at Pleasant Valley on 22nd < February. Saw the box produced I opened, lie described the contents, f it was subsequently identified as the Greens’. Also saw (lie accused on the 21th at Pleasant Valley. Was • present when she made a statement, lie saw the pendant produced taken j by Sergeant Dwan fmm accused’s j dressing table. She said she had j bought it, but could not sav whore. On being a .-died to tell the (ruth sin said she gut it trom Greens. '(Mm I statement 'produced "as the one I taken bv Sergeant Dwan from ae I cased He beard accused say to J Sergeant Dwan: ”1 don’t know why I do these things, I always realise it after I have done it.” She also said she would have, to do away with herself. She said she bad posted a two panels in Mr Toner’s box on <1 Rangitira Valley Road on Tuesday d

night. Witness produced'a. plan of ; -the locality. ACCUSED’S STATEMENT. Accused in her statement said she \yas 18 'years old, and went to Mrs ~l ulbot’s place 12 mouths last .Novem**her. On the 2nd January, 1922, and left Mrs Talbot’s place about 10.30. , on her bicycle. She rode down to Mr Green’s place, and left her bicycle on the side of the road. She went to the front door and knocked, but got no reply. The door leading into the room off the verandah was open. She went into the room by that door and took the gold pendant (found by the police in her ro'om). A number of other articles which she took were also enumerated, and the statement went on—“After taking the things from Green’s house there were some matches in the room. I took a match and set lire a to the room. I don’t remember what part of the room 1 set fire to and did not realise until a week later tho seriousness of what I had done. After leaving the house I took tho articles and hid them in a fence.” The statement then went on to describe her subsequent actions. Mr Campbell did not cross-examine ' any of the witnesses He said the accused pleaded guilty to all the charges. The Magistrate said in. view of the seriousness of one of the charges he could not allow bail, and in any case he did ot think the accused was in a fit state to be at large. She would therefore he committed to’ the Supreme Court, Christchurch, for sentence, to be dealt with at. the earliest possible moment. CONVICTED AND DISCHARGED. The was further charged with having on the 22nd January stolen a number of articles from the house of John Talbot, Rangitira Valley, valued at £2 2s. To these charges the accused pleaded guilty and elected to be'dealt with summarily, whereupon she was convicted and ordered to come up for sentence when called upon..