TRAVELLING THEATRICAL SHOW.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1614, 4 December 1912, Page 5

TRAVELLING THEATRICAL SHOW.

A CHAItGE DISMISSED. (By Telegraph.—Spccial Correspondent.) Christchurch, December 2. Tlie troubles of a travelling theatrical show doing the "smalls" of the Dominion resulted in a charge being preferred at tho Magistrate's Court to-day against Harold Richard Peard, 1!) years of age, of having- at llethven on November 23 stolen a watch and chain, valued at ■£!>, the property of Walter Breamer. Walter M'Kiver, known in the transactions with Peard as Walter Breamer, eaid that he was an electrician by trade, and on the stage was a sleight-of-hand entertainer. Peard put in .£ls, and they agreed to igo together. They'fiisfci'-itent to Sloth-' veil-to show, and, on the evening of tho entertainmehtiPeard was selling tickets at tha door. In ,an • interval witness saw people struggling.at the door, and on going there found that Peard had disappeared. Witness had basa getting dressed for tho stage, when Peard asked for the loan of his chain. Ho lent him his watch and chain. When ho disappeared witness followed him by motor to Ashburfcon. This was the first time he had seen tho accused since the night of the concert. The value of the watch and chain was about Tho performance at llethven.was the first and only performance. When the accused took tho funds away from the show at llethven it had to disband. Tho accused had given, witness .£25, ho himself having £10 or .£ls, with which to rim the show. The two girls in the company had not been paid at all for their services, and had returned to Christchurch. Harold Richard I'eard stated that he received a letter from Breamer, who said he had a picture business which was doing well, and that he was looking for a partner to take, charge of the front of the house at the different entertainments. Witness went to .Wellington to see Breamer, and made the various arrangements with him. When they got to Methven he discovered that he was working for a bogus company, which changed its name at nearly every place it visited. Breamer had said to him that they would play for two nights in. Methven end then get out early without paying anybody. The pianist had come to witness and told him that he did not like to see anyone losing his money without getting a run for it, and that Breamer was in negotiation wjth a man in Timaru for funds, in the same manner as his had been provided. He told witness that when they reached the Bluff Breamer was going to clear out from New Zealand. Tho pianist had come to witness again before the show and told him that the numbers of the tickets had been altered, and that his takings at the door would not. correspond with that denoted by the tickets. Witness took .£6 ss. at the door. He had never asked, Breamer for tho loan of his chain, nor , had he had the watch and chain in his ' possession. The case was dismissed.