THE HAMILTON BURGLAR.

Waikato Argus, Volume XX, Issue 3092, 27 January 1906, Page 2

THE HAMILTON BURGLAR.

•by telegraph—press association) Auckland, Last Night. In one of the rooms at the Auckland detective office a special Police Court was held this morning under unusual circumstances. During the Christmas holidays a series of robberies occurred in Auckland and neighbourhood. The detective police arrested a man named John Francis Usher on a charge of being concerned in some of the thefts, but the accused could not he brought before the ordinary Police Court owing to the sudden development of violent insanity. A largo quantity of property in Usher’s possession was claimed by various persons, who alleged that their dwellings had been robbed, and charges quickly accumulated against the accused, who had this morning to answer no fewer than seven, involving property valued altogether at ,£149 18s lOd. During the whole period of his arrest he had acted in such a violent manner that it was considered necessary to hold the preliminary hearing in private before Mr K. W. Dyer, S.M. When the prisoner was escorted into the room ho hid his face in lus hands and rapidly muttered incoherent sentences. Chief-Detective Marsaok, undeterred by the interruption, proceeded to explain the case for the prosecution. Usher was arrested at Te Puke, he said, for obtaining goods by false pretences in a manner which showed that he was quite sensible. When he was taken to Rotorua he immediately became apparently insane, and was committed to the lunatic asylum, from which he deserted. The Chief-Detective suggested that the lunacy was assumed by Usher simply to avoid punishment for his crimes.

The charges enumerated against the accused were : Breaking and entering the dwelling of George Barrett at Auckland on December 26th, stealing 7s Id in money ; stealing a portmanteau containing goods value .£l6 6s 3d from Hamilton station on December 23rd; breaking and entering the dwelling of James Annettat Hamilton on December 23rd, stealing a quantity of jewellery and keys value £8 10s; breaking and entering the dwelling of W. F. Mason at Hamilton on December 23rd, and stealing jewellery, goods, and £3 10s in money, of the total value of £l3 10s; breaking and entering the dwellinghouse of Arthur Goldie of Auckland on December 26th, and stealing £1 10s in money, a quantity of jewellery and goods valued altogether at £3l 10s; breaking and entering the dwelling of Samuel O’Leary at Auckland on December 26th, stealing jewellery and money value £8 4s; stealing a box containing goods value £l7 5s 6d, the property of Joseph H. Carr, from Mount Albert railway station about December Ist, and stealing a portmanteau with contents valued at £4, at Auckland, the property of Alexander Thomson. Dr. Beattie, medical superintendent of the Avondale Mental Hospital, gave evidence that Usher was received there on November Bth from Rotorua. He pretended to be a little confused upon admission, but this passed away the next day. Witness certified that Usher was quite sane. On November 17th Usher was allowed out on parole, but on the night of November 23rd be did not return. He had been at the asylum at 7 a.m., and the witness, who spoke to him, was sure of his sanity. Usher came back 14 days later to demand his clothes. During a long conversation which witness had with him he saw no sign of insanity. Evidence was also given by the gaol surgeon, Dr. Darby, that deceased was malingering.

Usher sustained his incoherent babbling while the medical men gave evidence, but the effort soon became less disconcerting to the officials of the Court. Finally the accused quietly sat on a trunk in a corner, hiding his face in his hands.

Evidence was given for the prosecution by Joseph Henry Carr, Thomas Joseph Schofield, Walter Frederick Moran (Hamilton), Mary E, Evans (Hamilton), James Annett (Hamilton), Arthur Goldie, Samuel O’Leary, George Barrett, Yennie Bowden, Alexander Thompson, Archibald Bishop, James White, Detective Baddam, acting-De-tectivo Fry. Usher presented an attitude which betokened utter stupidity. He made no reply when formally charged, and was committed to the Supreme Court tor trial on each of the eight charges.