Station Thefts.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIC, Issue 13602, 23 May 1908, Page 2 (Supplement)

Station Thefts.

CONSPIRACY TO ROB

" This is certainly a scandalous ,cbn-. spiracy to rob the railu ay" company, and probably there are, - a"., greatmany others who.': are not in the dock although "they ought to.be," said;3fr. R, Wallace^KvCJ., at,.Clerkenwell Sessions,'on April:9th^]ast,, when the men accused of theft; and recieiying at Eiiston Railway. Station, London,. were brought before him '.' . J/.' '?' - Mr. J. P. Grain, who, represented'' the London and North-Western Railway Ceftnpany, said statement*? liaff* 1 been ' iri&de which, in the interests,of justice, advisable, to make public. /The company were desirous of eradicating this .'pernicious system, and meant to., -'■ .''•'. -i William Boarder, aged 26 fßertie Piper, 22; and Alfred Thomas Champ, a.gefc39 L porters, pleaded',--guilty;, to ; various thefts:. Sentence was, postponed. Edward George Downes, aged ,21, jjorter,". was jfound' hot guilty of having , 'Teceiyed-. a stolen watch, of Avhich Piper Ava's acqiiitted. . '.•■;,' ',■":'/.' -- .- v.- ' ■;^'.-'- > .'.-

The story of.the thefts was?told Mi - . Grain. There had been complaints, he said, of the transit, and articles traced Jo'Jdifferent? men Avere' proceeds, of the theft,' df.V.mopetty valued at:between £SOO -robberies covered a; very. exjtensive:;perjlbd.; , DoAvnes,. who' was^acqiiiti«d^ ; - : 'i^^^|ven., v. -very higlv character. He the witness-box.^that he ties of all sorts of shades,, but yisisted'l.tbat thejr were his ; own .coine by.( . (' / " I suppose,"' said:-Mr.; Mqrany, fendedvhim,."there ~Avere some of th'ejth'ihgs of \yours thepolicedid ;not, .take.'ftAvay. Did -they leave the.cuiSams", .7 ". ,~,'^1.,, After DoAvnes's> acquittal, '. Mr."/^Mpraii' said to the. judge:. "May! I ask for- the return of wardrobe ?" '_' ;-':'., ' 'Mr. Wlallace, K.C\ ; :l'";C.ertainly'."''.' ;/\-; Chief-Inspector P.earsbin-^6al4t>.fi*t''.--/-',ptt. Boarder, when' arrested, jwasf; £24 m {goldj' and. they all' hadvbahkbbpksvshowmg^ithe deposit; of large sums--£IO,J>J?6; and iotiier sums, deposited at short, intervals. v ." Piperi's and .room was'',^pcticall^.:;S|Sick-' ed/With stblen;;property,^ ) time the; Avliole. of' it], identtfi^d and claims; sent in : by!.: -There! 'was no doubt..that there' 'wasv>. regular combination and conspiracy. 6 bMe A _ of the. staff -'to. steal ■;pj^?p^jtj;.'''' .Among J the -'^XQp^f'\[' : i^e£'S^ok^oisiQn. of by. the ipblice JtheJ follp^ng;:^ Suits of 'clothes, hooks,'"meat<^ lamps,' 1 , pipes, >bpptiff' glqv4(s, socks,';-: r -handker4fii?l|, collars, shoes, '-shirts,. TjizoraVr-Hcig^arette-.-causes,' chocolatej; . crayons" ' Sleeve-rinks, plates, ebap* .wool,.■:mM , kigg-ink'i' :•'"..'V-..'