PURSE MISSED.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16305, 21 December 1920, Page 2

PURSE MISSED.

■ + INCIDENT OX THE WAHINE. Pocket. picking on the forrv steamer Co t' S h7 S *■ W.' in the .Magistrate's Comt, before Mr V. G. Day, Tes . teitiSA. Rooert Henry Thomas, a'"eel sixty years was,charged with having fetolea on the Mahme at Wellington on Jscomber o a purse containing £yu Alr V H-..Sargent appeared lor'the nc- • cosed who -pleaded not guilty. Inspector Dew conducted the case for the police. Milliam Ran Don. a merchant of Most Harbour, Dunedin, said that he letl, Wellington on the WaJnne on December 15. As be was leaning over the r <'uls at the ship’s side saying good-bye to some friends he felt someone pressing him on the back and found that tho’ pressure came from a woman, lie made, room lor her. About two minutes later ho felt a strong pressure trom behind. Witness looked round. The man who was pressing commenced waving his hand to someone apparently on° tho wharf. Witness, did not see his face, hut noted that he was wearing a Imi't overcoat. Tho pressure was repeated about a minute Inter, then the man who pie.'sed him walked quickly n.wav. Witness followed him. The man zig-zagged through the crowd towards Iho ship's a°w. Witness found his purse miasm*Irom his right hip pocket. Witnes" noticed the man in the. light overcoat put something in the left-hand pocket ')' hcn "•““ess caught up with the-man he, was ostensibly saving good-bye to somebody. He denied j v ,V----mg stolon wjtncec’s purse. Witness got tho assistance of another passeno-or and put liis hand into the alleged" thief’s left-hand pocket. The man drew out fns band quickly, and witness's purse fell to the deck. Having recovered bis property, witness did not report die occurrence. When witness threatened to give tho man a thrashing the reply was; “ I wish to God you would go on with it and end it ; you have got your purse!’’ At tho invitation of the shin's 1 purser, witness identified the alleged Aliief next morning, fh reply to" a question, the accused man said "he sunposed it was “the drink” which -4 lum mi 6 trouble. He adflorl: a YnnVc got your purse hack, yon haven't lost anything ; arc yon going to Id. tho matter drop.-' f have a wife, and mv sum ahoiild not bo visited on her.” 'Witness invited Urn man to wait, while be cave his luggage to a steward, and the man acquiesced, but disappeared while witnflS ,"coc niVi V' Thcrc « sum of about £3B or £»0 n, the purse. Witness identified accused ns the man who had taken his purse, tonstabio i;. A. Irwin, of Lyttelton, *f l(I that lie apprehended accuse] on tho ferry train at Lyttelton. Accused protested that he was innocent., and withoss said to him “ [ don’t expect sou to admit it right off.” Acetified' replied; ion wouldn't expect mo to admit it if you were running away trom your wife and wore accused of it, You would f rot admit it either.” When witness first fiw accused he was wealing specters; when he spoke to him m the carnage ho had too spectacles on. Wlifiess found a pair of spectacles iu acoused’fl pocket. ... , ponstable M. Hodgins, of Lyttelton, ..said that lie interviewed accused at the’ ■police gaol on December 16. Accused -feaid to him: “i, have- been going straight for nine years! I had too much •to drink last night, and- temptation was ■ placed in my way, and J. foil, I, cannot . understand that • gentleman, as. he;pro.misod .me that he Would say nothing about it.!’ ■ ..... ..... .Accusal rc.seiTcd..his defence,- and was committed .•’to;.'t)}fi,. ; .§t!ar«we’;.!Lio’irf for trial.