ALLEGED HORSE STEALING.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1343, 16 September 1886, Page 2

ALLEGED HORSE STEALING.

The following appears in this morning’s Times. Last night a man named Thomas Hooper, formerly a resident of Ashburton was arrested in Christchurch by Detective B. Neill, charged with neglecting to obey an order of the RM, Court to pay for the support of a child. Ho seemed anxious to get away, bat bis endeavour to do so was frustrated On Monday morning he was committed to gaol for three months. What this has to do with bone.stealing will appear from what followsOn Friday last Mr Baird a farmer neat Sefton had a horse with a cover on In one of hia paddocks—a grand animal, a draught horse, worth about £4O On Saturday morning the horse was gone. The cover was found on a road near by The police were communicated «1 h, and found that a horse answering the description, had been sold in Tattersail’s last daturday. It was entered for sale by a man who gave the name of Brown, and was sold far £l7 to alieeston farmer, who, no doubt, thought be bad secured a bargain, and took the hone home. It was understood that Brown was to call at Tattersall’s on Monday morning to receive his money, bat h« never pat in appearance. On Tuesday Baird came down from Sefton and went with Detective v sl)I to Le st-m, where he saw the horse and identified it. The detective deprived the Leeaton farmer of his bargain, and lodged the horse in the police stables. Enquiries were made at Sefton, audit was ascertained that the only stranger seen about there on Friday was Hooper who told a friend that knew him in Ashburton that ha was hone stealing, and ment to leave by the evening train, bat he did not do so. Farther enquiryin Christchurch showed that Hooper rode np to Blight’s restaurant early on Saturday morning, mounted < n Baird’s draught horse |He had two or three hoars* sleep, and then too.* the horse away. What became of it has been told above, and it only need be added that Hooper will be ohaiged with horse stealing.