SHEEP STEALING ALLEGED.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16566, 27 October 1921, Page 7

SHEEP STEALING ALLEGED.

A SPRINGFIELD CASE. At tiie Magistrate’s Court yesterday, before Mr Wyvfern Wilson, S.M., Albert Frederick Cecil Rushton (Mr C. S. Thomas) was charged with having killed a wether valued at 17s, the property of Edward Odgers, of Springfield, with intent to steal the carcase. SubInspector J. K. Simpson prosecuted. Edward Odgers, farmer, of Springfield, gave evidence that on October 5, fourteen of his sheep disappeared from a paddock and in the course of searching for them he saw one of his wethers in Rushton’s yard. He identified it by his brand and ear mark. On going into the yard he saw the skinned carcase of a sheep hanging from a tree. There was a fire under a copper boiler and a smell of meat and wool burning. The next day in company with two police constables he called at Mrs Rushton’s house. Tho carcase of the sheep had been removed from the tree, but in the meat safe they fefund the hindquarters. The other half of tho sheep was in jars salted down. Constable D. Johns, stationed at Darfield, said that on closely examining the ashes under the copper boiler ho found a charred piece of wool and some burnt bone about the size of a sheep’s shin-bone. The accused said lie had been cleaning up the yard and had burnt some wool which the dogs had been carrying about. Witness asked the accused where he got the meat und he said he bought it from Dixon’s in Christchurch on the Friday, six days previously. Later the accused said he did not know it was Ned Odgcrs’s sheep; he thcrught it was one of his brother’s. They both had the same brand. Accused admitted killing the sheep and that he had burnt the skin under tho copper and put the meat in the safe. He said he thought it was his brother's sheep because it had a red brand on it similar to his brother’s brand. There was one sheep on Rushton’s property at the time. The accused said he gem erally bought an old ram to kill fur dog’s meat. To Mr Thomas: When the was speaking to witness he said he thought it was Bill’s (his brother’s) sheep, not Ned's sheep. At 5.15 the hearing was adjourned TO-DAY’S PROCEEDINGS. COMMITTED FOR TRIAL. The hearing of the case in which Albert Frederick Cecil Rush ton is charged with having killed a wether valued at 17s, the property of Edward Odgers, of Springfield, with intent to steal the carcase, was continued before Mr Wyvern Wilson, S.M., at the Magistrate’s Court this morning. Bug-Inspector Simpson prosecuted, and Mr P. I*. J. Amedeo, instructed by Mr C. S. Thomas, appeared for tho accused. Constable Williams, of Coalgato, gave evidence of the inquiries he had made into tho case. Ho said that considerable pressure had been put on accused to get him to answer questions. The Magistrate asked if the third degree had been used on accused. The ©onstabe denied that he had resorted to anything like the third degree. The Magistrate said that by subjecting accused to a cross-examination the constable had exceeded his duty, which was simply to make inquiries. Later the constable said he had not threatened accused. He had never domineered a man in his life. Accused pleaded not guilty, and was committed to the Supreme Court for trial, bail being allowed in one surety of £SO.