MAGISTRATE’S COURT.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 144197, 13 September 1913, Page 2

MAGISTRATE’S COURT.

CHARGES OF XHEFTV Albert Johnson, alias Jones, alias Ross appeared in the Magistrate’s Court tins morning charged with having stolen, from tho Royal Hotel on Thursday, a purse, valued at ss, and a handkerchief, gold ring valued at £2 10s, and £2 10s in silver, also an alarm clock, all the property of Elizabeth Greenlees.

Detective-Sergeant Boddam in outlining the case, said that Miss Greenlees was a waitress and housemaid at the Royal Hotel. She loft her bedroom about 4.30 on Thursday afternoon, leaving the door closed but not locked. When she - returned later she noticed a rug lying on the foot of the bed. It was not there before. Thinking this peculiar she further examined the room and found that the articles mentioned in the „charge were missing. He arrested accused yesterday morning on another charge and on. searching him at the police station found the clock and handkerchief in his possession. The other articles had not been recovered. 1 Elizabeth Greenlees, housemaid and waitress at the Royal Hotel, gave evi-'' donee supporting the detective’s statement. Tho handkerchief and clock (produced) were her property. Detective-Sergeant Boddam gave evidence as to his arresting and searching accused. On. being told of the charge accused said he knew nothing about the articles and did not know where the Royal Hotel was. This closed the case for the prosecution, and Johnson reserving his defence, was committed to the Supremo Court for trial on Tuesday next. 'Johnson was further charged with having on the same day stolen from the White Hart Hotel one rug valued at £2, the property of "Wyndham Pearce, a commercial traveller staying at the hotel. In outlining the case for the prosecution Detective Boddam said the accused took the rug to tho Terminus Hotel and offered it for sale to the barman at the hotel. The rug had an ordinary- hotel label bearing a name, tied on to the fringe and on noticing this the suspicions of the barman were aroused and ho refused to have anything to do with accused. Pearce identified the Tug produced as his property. He did not know either accused or Miss Greenlees and had only once for a very short period been, iti the Royal Hotel. In consequence of information received at 3 o’clock on Thursday afternoon h© looked, for his rug on bis return to the hotel and found it missing. John Hayworth, barman at the Terminus Hotel, detailed the visit of accused to him On Thursday and the efforts of accused to sell the rug. When examining the rag'he noticed a Wellington label, bearing the name of W. Pearce, Wanganui, tied on to the ( fringe with a piece of string. He refused to buy the rug,-and accused took it away with him. The rug produced was the same rug that accused offered to sell to him.

Elizabeth Greenlees, witness in tho previous case, stated that she found the rug on the foot of her bed on Thursday afternoon. She handed it to the police. The clock and handkerchief (produced) were missed from her bedroom the earn© afternoon.

Detective Boddam gave further formal evidence and hia Worship committedl accused for trial on this charge also.