WAS TAKEN IN BY STRANGER.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18451, 30 April 1928, Page 5

WAS TAKEN IN BY STRANGER.

MAN TOLD POLICE OF MISSING MONEY. (Special to the “Star.") WELLINGTON, April 30. Yesterday morning a man named Joseph Scott called at the central police station and stated that while he was in a drunken condition on Saturday night a stranger took him home and put him to bed. When he awoke in the morning, he discovered that about £3O which was in his possession on the previous evening was missing. A few hours later Joseph Kelly, a labourer, aged nineteen, called at the station and said that he was the man who had looked after Scott. He added that he had taken £ll from Scott as a precaution. and had returned the money. Inquiries were made, and when Kelly was questioned he admitted that he had taken £l2 9s from Scott, and had spent £1 19s of it. An attempt was made to get into touch with Scott, but he was in a drunken condition, and the police were obliged to take Kelly’s version of the matter. In Court Kelly pleaded guilty to the theft of £1 19s. It was stated that he appeared to he of a lazy disposition, and had worked for one week only during the two months he had been in Wellington. Accused had said that he had yielded to a sudden impulse to take the money. A fine of £5 was imposed, and he was ordered to repay £1 19s, in default twenty-one days’ imprisonment.