ALLEGED LARCENY AND RECEIVING.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 6970, 26 September 1890, Page 3

ALLEGED LARCENY AND RECEIVING.

At the Resident Magistrate's Court, this morning, before E. Westenra, G. T. Booth, aud N. K. Bowden, Esqs., William Manders and Henry Ernest Perry were charged with stealing boots, value £Z 143 7d, from Lake's Boot Factory, on Sepb. 21, and Rebecca Hobbs and Martha Haddrell were charged with receiving the goods, knowing them to be stolen. Mr Kippenberger appeared for the accused Hobbs. William Thomas Michael Lake, bootmanufacturer, of Lichfield street : His wife had a boot factory at the next corner of the street, and lie managed it. On the Saturday iv question, witness carefully closed the premises at 8.30 p.m., taking the key With him. On Sept. 21, at about a quarter to 7 a.m., found one of the panes of a window in Madras street broken, and the front door of the factory open. The pane was about two and a half feet square. He went into the factory, and missed a quantity of boots of the value of £5 143 wholesale. Eacognised the boots in Court as his property by the marks on them. Did not know the accused. Ernest Roland Crone, a cleaner on the railway : On the morning cf Sept. 21, about a quarter to seven, saw Mauders going down Lichfield street East. Accused was about one hundred yards from the shop, aud had a string of boots slung over his shoulder. Noticed that the door of the shop was open, and that just as lie came up to the place someone Bhut it from the inside. Also noticed that the window was broken. As he was looking in at the window Manders came back. Looked back and saw Manders and Perry, or someone like Perry, together. Manders had something under his arm. When en the North side of Lichfield street Manders rolled something which he took from the fence up in an overcoat. Thomas Chitty, storeman, in the employ of Mrs Lake : On Sept. 21 went, in company with all the detectives, to No. 52, Tuam street.the house occupied by the accused. Witness was posted at the back door, and heard a noise going on in one of the rooms as if boxes were being dragged about. Mrs Hobbs then came out and spoke to him, Mrs Haddrell remaining in the room. Witness then heard a window go up or down. The male accused were arrested then, and on further search a shoe was found in some hay under the window. Cross-examined: The noise lasted for about four or five minutes. Children were in and about the place during most of the time he was at the back of the house. Ho was at the back of the house for about three-quarters of an hour. M. O'Connor, Chief Detective, said : At about 6.30 p.m. on Sunday last, with witnesses Crone, Chitty and Detective Neill, went to the houHO in Tuam street. Perry was iv the kitchen and Manders in the front room just getting out of bed. Crone identified Manders, who was charged- with the crime. Found a bundle of boots under Manders' bed. Told the two women what they were looking for, and that the goods had been stolen from Lake's. After taking the male priaoners to the lock-up, he returned to the house with Crone and Chitty. Searched the house, and on Tuesday, Sept. 23, went to the house with Detective Neill, and found a quantity of the boots, two and a half pairs, planted in a gorse bush in Mr White's paddock. One shoe was a fellow to the one found under the window. Accused Mrs Hobbs of throwing these things out of the window, and afterwards with hiding them. She denied having done so. On Monday, after the male prisoners were remanded, Perry said to him in the lock-up, " Someone had been to that boot shop before we got there. We found the door open and the window broken." Mrs Haddrell and Mandera had previously lived together, and all the accused had lived in that house for five or six weeks. Detective L. D. Benjamin gave corroborative evidence. Detective Neill said that he arrested Hobbs on Sept. 23, on the present charge. On the way to the station she said, " What's the best thing for me to do now?" Witness said, "I cannot advise you." The case was dismissed as againßfcthe female accused. The male accused reserved their defence, and were committed for trial.