UNUSUAL CASE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17182, 27 October 1923, Page 2

UNUSUAL CASE.

PETTY SPITE ALLEGED. RUNAWAY COUPLE ARRESTED.

An unusual set of circumstances was disclosed in tho Alagistrate's Court this morning before Mr H- Y. TYiddowson, S.AI.. when a young man and young -woman, v.ho bad run, away from Auckland together, were jointly charged with the theft of a. sewing machine which the woman believed was her own property. The case was described by counsel for the accused as nothing more than potty spite on the part of the woman's husband, whom she had left because he refused to work. Richard Ryan, thirty-two years of ago, and Miriam Gwen Brierly, twenty-four rears of age, wore charged with on October 8. at Auckland, stealing a Singer sewing machine valued at £2l, the property of J. H. Hudson. Senior-Sergeant F. Lew in asked that the accused should ho remanded to Auckland. He stated that they had been arrested only this morning. “There are a most extraordinary set of circumstances connnectcd with this case,” said Mr Twyneham, who appeared for both the accused. “ The female defendant is a married woman and she left her husband in Auckland three or four weeks ago with the male defendant. Since then they have been living in Christchurch and both Wfere in occupations. The female defendant was given the sewing machine by a man named Hudson, a friend of her husband. She had been engaged in charitable work in Auckland with Hudson, and she actually had the machine in her possession for four or five months.” “ When she left Auckland with Ryan her husband came as far as Wellington to pick her up, but she stated that it was impossible for her to live with him because* he did not do any work or make any effort to maintain her. She regarded the machine as a gift from Hudson, but it jvas really the property of the Singer Sewing Machine Company, as Hudson was purchasing it on the hire-purchase system, and had got into arrears with his payments. “ It is one of those cases that quite obviously has been brought by the husband and Hudson in conjunction, in order to get the woman back to Auckland,” added Mr Tyneham. “ The. position of iJie male defendant is interesting as he will be able to lay an action against the informant for having him arrested on this charge. They have suffered every indignity over what is obviously nothing more than petty spite on the part of the husband.” Mr Xwyneham asked the Magistrate if the accused could be remanded to Auckland out of custody. The Magistrate: As they have to go to Auckland wouldn’t it be better for them to have a free passage than pay for it themselves? Mr Tyneham: They are the class of people who would rather pay. They have suffered great indignity already. There was no possibility of proving mens The Magistrate: They- have got their remedy. Mr Twyneham: Yes they have and they will take it. The Magistrate said he had no alternative but tp remand them to Auckland. Senior-Sergent Rewin said that Ryan was believed to be a married man with two children. Brierly was married and had one child. Mr Tyneham added that when the charge -was made known the machine was sent back to the Singer Sewing Machine Company at Auckland. The accused were remanded to appear at Auckland on November 3. Bail was allowed each accused in the sum of £l5O and two sureties of £75 each. Subsequently Mr Tyneham asked if tjie female accused could remain in thecustody of the Salvation Army authorities until Monday night. The Magistrate agreed to this suggestion.