THE ALLEGED WHARF THEFTS.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1210, 19 August 1911, Page 5

THE ALLEGED WHARF THEFTS.

CHARGES AGAINST EHRMAN. "SOMETHING SENSATIONAL," COMMITTED FOR TRIAL. (By TcioeraDh-Prcee Association.! Auckland, August 18. Tho hearing of the charges against Josseph Khrman, of stealing on various dates and occasions goods from (ho Auckland Wharf, was continued to-dny, Mr. .Singer appearing for accused and ChiefDetectivo Mar.sack conducting tho prosecution. Harold Walton, buyer for 11. Walton and Co., importers, Auckland, staled that in Juno of last year ho ordered from London a lino of women's and children's slipper.;. On April 20 he received an invoico iuid advice that tho goods (in five cases) were shipped by tho Kia Ora. When tho Kia Ora arrived, tlnre was ono casu missing, and inquiries by the firm elicit ud no trace of tho goods. Eccenlly, at tlic police station, he saw a e<iso of slippers which were identical in quality n-nd proporlional quantiiy with tho goods ordered and tlio numbers of them agreed with tie numbers in (he invoice. Tlio landing value of the misbing gcods was about £2fi. Thos. K, Senncll, ship's ngent, corro.borated the evidence as to there having been a ca.s'% of goods short for Walton and Co. alter tho vessel had discharged on April 12. Joseph J. Lawson, boot importer. Westport, testified to having purchased from Khrman in May a quantity of slippers, Accused said he was an indent agent and importer in Auckland. What goods were not sold were handed lo the police, and ho had .wn thorn at tho Auckland Police Station. Sergeant Dcwe stated that tho goods recovered from Jlr. Lawson had been, ' identified by Mr. Walton. Detective Powell stated that on July 18 ho went to meet (ho escort from Wellington with accused at To Kuiti. There, aftt-r tho train left Te Kniti for Auckland, ho met Constable Smart and accused was not on t lie train nor in the custody of the constable. Ho left the train at To Awnmntn and searched for accused, eventually finding him at Kawakawa, about 25 miios from To Kuiti (about i p.m. on July I!)). Accused made no reply when charged with having escaped. Afterwards ho said: "I've a good mind to commit suicide. What' will my son and daughter do when they henr of this? 1 can't faco it. I'll exposo the whole thing.: There will be something sensational como out' of this. 1 am not going to take all the blnme myself. I did not' need to do this. Jly wifo has JiIGOO worth of property." At this stngo'Mr. Singer asked'permission to make a statement which Khrman had asked him to make. It was with regard to tho matter of Mr. Gloyer, who had had no opportunity of making a reply. Ehrman authorised counsel to eay that ho wished it understood that Hfr. Glover, M.P., wns not in any way connected with the matters with which Khrman was charged. Counsel added that he thought it only fair that tho statement should be made. The accused reserved his defence and was committed for ('rial at the Supremo Court nn nil charges. < Jlr. Siiißor applied for boil, but Chief Detective Jlarsack objected on tho grounds that tlio charges involved n sum of £700 or .tSOO, that accused had once escaped from custody, and that he had talked of suicide. Besides the Supremo Court session was now only three or tour daya off ' ! His AVorship said he agreed with the application lo refuse bail, as there were special circumstances to the case, nnd a number of other persons involved, lie consequently refused tho application for bail.