THEFT OF WHISKY.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 11670, 10 April 1916, Page 5

THEFT OF WHISKY.

THREE LYTTETON MEN IN TROUBLE. At a sitting of the Lyttelton Magistrate's Court this morning Edward James Lester. Edward Adams and John Gams were' charged before Mr C Fcrrkw, J.V.. and Captain M. Uatchwell, J.P.. with having on April 2, at Lyttelton, brcken into and entered the premises of lVipr fi. C'armichael, and stolen one ease of whisky. Valued at £1 14s. Sergeant Jackson said that the three men were seen carrying a cuso ot whisky away. ■Pet?r H. C'armichael. licensee of the Hovai .Hotel, stated that lie. had temporary- premises in Canterbury Street. On April 1 he locked up al 10.50 p.m., and returned at 7 a.m. on April 3, when he found the door broken open and a_ case of whisky missing. He knew the accused, and as far as he could remember thev were in the house on April 1. T<> Lester: He could not swear if Lester was there, but thought so. In ;iuv case. Lester was sober. To Adams: He remembered defendant taking two gallons of beer nw-n jrom the vard on April L G. IJ. P..Fitzgerald, chemist, residing in Canterburv Street, close to the Roval Hotel, stnixd on April 2, about \) p.m.. he saw three men coming from the • vicinity of the temporary premises. Two men appeared to be carrying something. and the third one -walking alongside them. It was dark, and he could not detect what thev had. They went Norwich (,)uay. He could not say if the accused Is* wei'e- the men. Detective Quartermain stated that vesterdav morning he saw Gains at his house in' Oxford Street. He asked him to go to the Police Statilon, and in the course of a conversation defendant made a statement (produced), in which he admitted going into the hotel with Lester and Adams mid obtaining the whiskv, which was convened to Adams s house'. Vh-cro it was drunk. Lester, in a statement, denied being in compan'y with the other two defendants. Sub-..e,-,ucnilv Ad.ims was accosted, and had denied his movements on April 2. Later nccuserf informed witness that he mtei' led to ph-ad jK'ulty, and in tho couj-fp of n Mal<?jneiit he ssid Lester '■nd'' Guns nccomr>ani<xi him to tho hotel, and Inter to his house. During vsterdav afternoon Lester made a, statement to the effect that he did not actually enter the hotel, but assisted Adlams and Gains to carry the whisky awaT. Gains and Adam*, who had nothing I'uilher to say. pleaded guilty,. Lester denied entering the hotel, but pleaded k'uil'.y. „ The accused were committed' to tho smi;»--"ne Court for sentence, bail being -.il'lived e;.ch ill IV :) SlUetios of /-'2."j.