AN IMPUDENT THIEF.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XXXVI, Issue 7983, 29 September 1887, Page 3

AN IMPUDENT THIEF.

A theft that was noted more for cool impudence than any other feature took placo on Saturday last outside tho Red Houao Hotel. Mr. James Thomasson, a farmer, residing on the Pitt Road, at about a quarter past ei^ht, tied up his horse outside the Red House Hotel and went inside the hostelry for a few minnteb. He saw three Maoris there, two men and a woman, all of whom he knew by eight. When ho came out his horse was gone, and so was Karma, one of the Maoris. He then gave information to the police. A few minutes after the theft a sister of Mr. Thomasson's and a young man named Lee, flaw Karma riding the horse over .the Henui bridge. The man was riding fast, and when he crossed the bridge he turned ap the Hospital Road. Acting on the information, Mounted Constable Scully, in company with Thomasson and Lee, went to Puketotara on Wednesday in order to make enquiries. They could see nothing of Karma there, althougn they made a strict search. The trio hung around the settlement all day, and at about dusk Thomasson and Lee, who were concealed in a bush neai Karina's whare, saw that individual go into it. They then informed Constable Scully, who was some distance away, and he came down to the whare, but only to find it empty. It seems that Karina's sister, MereTahana, gave him warning of the proximity of the "man in blue," and thus gave him time to make good his escape. The whare was then searched, and the saddle -was found in a bag in a corner, and the bridle, stirrup leathers, and girth in different places, bat the Btirrup irons could not be found. _ The horse must have been liberated, as it returned home on Wednesday.^ Karma came to the police station on Thursday morning, and gave himself up. He woe at once brought before the Resident Magistrate, and remunded to gaol till Friday. Karma, it appears, went to Thomasson and tried to smooth matters over by saying he was the worse for liquor when he committed the theft.