DETECTION OF CRIME.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 12862, 22 May 1905, Page 5

DETECTION OF CRIME.

A SUCCESSFUL TRAP.

A trapj was laid on Saturday by, Thomas Knowles, o£ the Breakwater i Hotel, for the purpose of finding out 'whether a servant named Christopher Gradwell was responsible for depredations which had been going on in the hotel. Ai man named John Mjorgan, a labourer, was hired to 'visit the hotel, "shout" drinks while Gradwell was present, threw a £5 money order on the counter, feign insobriety, and then ask for a room, the "suspect" to show him /to it. Kinowles was to give change, four £1 notes, a half sovereign and four half crowns, < all marked, and Detective Benjamin, who hired Morgan for the job, was to conceal himself under the bed in the room (No. 9) ,to which Morgan was sent. These particulars were all duly observed. -Morgan was shown to his room and threw, his coat and vest, containing the marked money in a pouch, on a washstand, then proposed that he should go and get a bottle of beer, leaving Gradwell in the room alone, so far as he was aware. After j Morgan returned with the beer the Detectivq sprang out from under the bed, and having seen Gradwell interfering with Morgan's clothes, charged him with theft. A search followed, but nothing of the stolen property was found on Gradwell. The notes, however, were found in the passage by Morgan as the procession went towards Gradwell's room to make a search there.

Gradwell was then taken in custddy, and was charged with ihc theft of the money at the Police Court on Monday morning. Mr T. S. Wcston appeared for the prosecution and Mr F. Wilson for accused.

Particulars as above wore adduced in evidence.

Mrs Knowles stated in her deposition that on Sunday she looked through English letters belonging to accused and found the marked half sovereign. She admitted she had no right to search the private letters, but she was told to look amongst them for bank deposit slips.

John Morgan said he did not expect remuneration for his work.

. Detective Benjamin deposed that he saw from under the bed accused take out a coin and put it in his teeth. Accused then left the room but returned immediately when footfalls were heard coming up the stairs. At Knowles' request he handed the former, the private letters belonging to accused.

Accused, in hi*? evidence, alleged collusion between the Detective and Morgan, stating that he saw ' the latter jpas.s the notes to the Detective, who was at the time, kneeling- on accused's fhest. i The Detective ihon left the room, and was away about ten minutes. Afterwards accused was arrested, ifccivinnr a rough handling.

His Worship said li« was alive to (Ih> w^nkm-s^s of iho pvWlencn of the prosecution, but iho only reasonable fo7iel union; was thnt accused had stolen ihc money. Sentfuee was deferred till Tuesday morning.