THE RECENT HOUSEBREAKING.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5688, 6 October 1896, Page 2

THE RECENT HOUSEBREAKING.

THE ACCUSED BEFORE THE COUET. THIS DAY. At the Police Court this morning, before Mr J. Palmer, J.P., Mr W. Prudhoe, J P Mr W. Pratt, J.P., and Mr S. Lawrence, J.P., Thomas Whyte and Julius Danton wero charged with having, on Sept. 10, at Christchurch, broken into and entered the shop of Ashby, Bergh and Co., and stolen: one pedometer and six watches, of the value of £7 8s 6d, and 16s in silver. Inspector Broham conducted the prosecution. William H. M. Bergh, clerk in the firm of Ashby 1 , Bergh and Co., stated that on Thursday, Sept. 10, he was in the shop till about 9.10 p.m., and, being the lust to leave, locked up the place. He took out of the drawer of Mr Hardy, the cashier, 4s, leaving, he believed, < 16s. The next morning, about half -past nine, he missed the cash, some watches and a pedometer. The watches and pedometer produced were similar to those that had been in the shop, but there was no distinctive mark about them, which witness could swear to. Their value was between £6 and JB7. Entrance had been effected through one of the back windows. This was guarded by iron bars about nine inches aparti and these had been pressed further apart. Loftus Hardy, clerk in the same firm, stated that when he left the shop at 1 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 10, there was £1 in the drawer, and the next morning the drawer was empty. Thomas Wallace, one of iihe counter hands, also gave evidence. John Frederick Recce, gardener, stated that the accused Danton had stayed at h|s place up to the time of his arrest. He cbuld not swear to the handkerchief produced, but Danton had one very much like it. ' ■ ■ ■■■:'■■ ■-:.;■ Detective Maddern deposed that on Sept. 14 Danton was in the lock-up on the charge of assaulting Constable Millard. About 8.30 a.m. on that date witness had a conversation with the accused, and asked him if he did not know who had been breaking into all the places recently. Accused said he would rather do twelve months than put anyone away. Witness told him they would put him away quick enough, if they could. Accused considered a moment, and then told witness be'Wuld find two pairs of trousers planted in the fence of the Church property at the corner of Lichfield and Durham Streets, that Whyte had put them there on the Friday night, and that Whyte had also got a white shirt, a white silk handkerchief and a pair of braces which he had stolen from Ballantyne's. Witness went to search, but could find nothing. He went back to accused and said it was no use his telling a tale like that ; the things were not there. Accused said it was no tale, and that there was a plant of watches behind the Chinaman's place ; that Whyte had got into Ashby, BerghV place on the Thursday night, and into Ballantyne and Congreve's on Friday night; He also said that Whyte had taken stamps and keys from Congreve's, and that the key? were in the Park. Witness got a cab, and in company with Detective Benjamin took accused .io where he said the watches were planted. They found several watches there wrapped xi2> in the handkerchief produced. On Sept, 17 witness took Danton to the Park, and there he picked up the six keys from behind the stump of a tree. The keys had since been identified., Danton also took witness to a pile of wood, and picked out a piece of paper, in which he said a shirt had been ■ wrapped. From another pile of wood he took a handkerchief andapair of braces. Dantonsaid Whyte had shown the things to him on the Friday. The two accused were mates, and witness had seen them together on the evening of Sept. 10, and again on the following Saturday evening. That morning -the two accused had been in the lock-u]) in different cells, and witness had overheard a conversation between the two. Whyte began the, conversation, and said " You are not going to plead gnilty P" Danton said " Yes." Whyte said, "No, not at this Court." Danton said, " What must I do, then?" Whyte replied, "Beserve your defence and plead guilty at the higher Court." Danton asked, " What must I say about the plant?" Whyte replied, "Say you found the watches." Danton said, " No, I've told everything before." At this point the watch-house keeper came in, and the accused were brought over to the . Court." Constable M'Connell Btated that oh Sept. 14 he went with Detective Benjamin to a section behind the Chinamen's place in Tuam Street, and found four watcheß and a pedometer, and the handkerchief produced. They did not take away the watches, but left them there till the following day, watching the i>lace. This was all the evidence. The accused were committed for trial at the Suprome Court. The accused were also charged with having, on Sept. 11, broken into and entered the shop of William Congreve, and stolen therefrom stamps and keys value 275. William Congreve stated that on going to his shop on the morning of Kept. 12 he found that it had been broken into, entrance having been gained by one of the back windows, and that some stamps were missing. He did not miss the keys produced until they wero brought to him by the detective. He identified them as his; they fitted his safe and would cost about 15s to replace. Constable Andrew stated that he arrested the accused Whyte on JSov: 14 last year. He was convicted and sentenced to twelve months' imprisonment. He had no stamps on him when liberated. . Alexander Ironside, clerk and storekeeper at Lyttelton gaol, stated that the Accused White was discharged from gaol jon Sept. 10; after serving twelve months. .' No postage stamps were among 'his property then 1 . . j Constable dr. J'itzgeraildy 3tated\ that he ■ 'Saw t'h6 accused together at Lyttolton on [Sept, IT.- They arrived by the 8;10 p.m. '•ti'uin, and left again for Christchurch by train.'. . Detective Maddorn stated' that on Sepfc 29. ho 1 charged Wiry to with- the present :offeii'ee. ( He found some stamp's on the accused,' who said that he had them when 1 h'e^ais discharged from Lyttelton , Gaol. The witness then deposed to goifag with' Dantou to the Park, and recovering the" keys produced. In the lock-up that morning he heard a conversation between the' two accused, which lie had already related. The accused were committed for trial on" this charge. The accused wore further charged with having, on Sept. 11, broken into and, entered the shop of Jo3iah Ballanbyne and others, and stolen two £eys value Is 6d and £2 10s in money. Josiah Ballantyne stated that on going to the shop on the morning of Sept. 12 he found that a drawer, which had been left securely fastened, had been forced open. There were some keys and .£3 103 in the draAver. The keys and £2 10s had been taken. Witness identified the two keys produced. , E. W. Turton said that he looked up the premises securely on Sept. 11, James M'Coll, clerk in the c aiploy of Ballautyue and Co., also gave evidence. Detective Maddern in his evidence stated that Danton told him on Sept. 14 that Whyte had broken into Ballantyne's on the night of Sept. 11, and he told witness where two of the keys were to be found. The conversation between the two prisoners he had already related. This concluded the evidence. The accused were committed for trial at the Supreme Court on Nov. 16 on this 3harge.