DID NOT BEAR ANY MALICE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18642, 20 December 1928, Page 9

DID NOT BEAR ANY MALICE.

INCORRIGIBLE ROGUE GIVES SEASON’S GREETING TO THE MAGISTRATE.

After being sentenced to one year and one week in prison, Theresa Rtissell turned to Mr E. D. Mosley, S.M., and gave him the season’s greetings. Russell was charged with the theft of clothes, valued at £1 7s, the property of Maud Amelia Hynes, and also with being deemed an incorrigible rogue, having previously been convicted of being a rogue and a vagabond. “ The complainant had a house in Walker Street,” said Chief-Detective Carroll. “Mr Hynes, your Worship will remember, was ‘ called away ’ for a year. After Mr Hynes went to gaol, Mrs Hynes shut up her house, and only visited it occasionally. On one of her visits she found that someone had been in the house; cigarette butts were strewn all over the floor, and clothes were gone. Subsequently the accused was found wearing the stolen clothes. That is the position.” Mrs Hynes gave evidence as to how she found her house after the clothes were stolen. A. coat, a dress, a jumper, and a costume were missing. The accused had previously stayed at the place.” “ A coloured woman brought me to your house,” said accused to witness, “ not your husband. I was there for several days.” “ Not so,” said the witness. “My husband brought you.” “ Give me a bit of paper,” said the accused, and when she had written on it the Magistrate put it to the witness. “ Martin Carroll entered your hou.se, not me,” said the accused. A statement made by the accused was read in Court. An acting-detective told the Court that he had repeatedly seen the accused hanging around hotels and in the company of undesirables. Another detective corroborated that evidence. “Do you wish to give evidence on your own behalf?” asked the Magistrate. “ Most decidedlv sir. I'm an absolute stranger in Christchurch, and I didn’t know who all these bad characters were. I worked hard on a station for eight months, and it’s not often that a woman like me takes to hard work.” “ Some work very hard when put in a certain place,” said the Magistrate. “Is this record yours?” asked the Chief-Detective, showing the defendant a lengthy sheet. “ Good gracious, I suppose so. But vou’re not going to pip me on all those? Goodness gracious, don't squash me altogether! For goodness sake your Worship, give me a chance, and I’ll go back and work on the station.” “ For the theft your are sentenced to seven days’ imprisonment with hard labour,” said the Magistrate. “ For being an incorrigible rogue you will go to gaol for twelve months.” “ Oh! Thank you very much,” said the accused, and then, as she left the dock: “ The compliments of the season ! ”

“ The same to you. and many of them,” said Mr Mosley, smiling.