WOMAN SHOPLIFTER

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 79, Issue 19, 23 January 1935, Page 8

WOMAN SHOPLIFTER

FOURTEEN DAYS’ GAOL GUILTY ON SIXTEEN COUNTS BICYCLES AND FI R COATS | Per Press Association. | CHRISTCHURCH, Jan. 22. Many articles of feminine attire, including coats and dresses, also a num ber of handbags and hat boxes, were displayed in the Magistrate’s Court this morning. These were exhibits in a case in which Ellen Marion Mather, aged 33, domestic, faced 27 charges of theft from shops. Jt was alleged that the offences covered a period between January 22, 1933, and December 4 last. The articles exhibited in Court included two bicycles, two fur coats, hats, dresses, stockings, shoes, and many other articles of men’s, women’s and children's clothing. The charges involved goods of a total value of £268 16s IOJcL To eight charges the accused pleaded guilty and to the others not guilty. Twenty of the 27 charges were heard to-day.

Accused was convicted on 16 and four were d?;-missed. F.he was sentenced to imprisonment for 14 days on the first, sentence on the others being deferred until the other charges are heard to-morrow. In evidence, accused said that it was her custom to go to nearly every race meeting, sometimes as far away as Wellington. She had inside information about horses, and her profits from race betting must have amounted, at least, to £2OO a year. She had do! banked the money because it would have affected her'widow’s pension. The Magistrate: Won’t you have to refund to the Government the money you have had as the widow’s pension? Accused: No. It says on the paper that the money earned must be put; down, but not the money won at the races* 1 might have lost it again, at. other meetings. The Magistrate: Earnings consist of money from anv source whatever. You. are a woman with two children and receiving a widow's pension. Yet you have two fur coats. Evidence was given by shopkeepers and their employees, •denDl’ying the goods. In most cases identification was easy, but, espeica.iy in respect of lhe smaller ar'.iclcs, witnesses could not be positive always that ’.he goods bad rot been sold. In all such cases the ch-.uges were dismissed.