LAW REPORTS.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1858, 18 September 1913, Page 11

LAW REPORTS.

LOWER COURT. RIDE ON BORROWED BICYCLES. FOUR YOUTHS CHARCED. STOKY OF THEIB ESCAPADE. From Wanganui to Wellington per stolon bicyclo was the mothod of travel adopted by four young men who appeared in the Magistrate's Court yesterday and admitted tho theft of six bicycles. Chief Dotectivo Broberg related tho story. Ho said that on Soptember 5 Walter Wakefield and William Collin3 wore at Wanganui whore each srtolo a bicycle belonging to somo wharf labourers. They mot William Frederick Letheby and James Alexander Annear, and the four started for Wellington. Having only two bicycles they took it in turns to ride and walk, and at times thoy double-banked. One of 'tho bicycles was a racing machine and would not stand double-bonking. Somowhere south of Wanganui it broke down, and the three made ■ Marton tho following day with one bicyole. At Marton thoy stole tlireo more bicycles, and with one apiece continued tho journey to Wellington. / u 10 they Teached Shannon ono of tho four machinos had broken down, «o thero they stole another, this making the sixth. Onco more they took tho road for Wellington. Annear came right 011 and got hero on September 9. Tho othois dallied by the way and at Porirua they broke into tlie residence of Samuel Taylor and stole £6 worth of clothing. One bicycle was sold to a second-hand dealer for 10s., one was loft by the roadside south of Wanganui, ono abandoned at Shannon, another sold to an unlicensed second-hand dealer for £1 10s., and the two others were recovered in Wellington, ono in the street. Tho oldest of tho four accused, Collins, was' 22 years. Ho arrived in New Zealand last January from Australia and for somo timo was employed on a 'steamer, and later as a hotel porter. He and Wakefield had been convicted of petty theft. Wakefield, who usually worked as a labourer, was a South Islander. Letheby, a native of South Australia, was 17 years of age. Ho had been a" hotel porter here and at Wanganui, but from one of his Wanganui situations he was dismissed because ho took some of tho other accused into his room to sleep. Annear was only 16 years and four months. He camo from the Nelson district where his parents live. He worked as a waiter in a Wellington hotel and then went to Wanganui. Mr. P. W. Jackson, who appeared for Annear, asked for leniency for his client who had been led away. Annear and Letheby were fined £1 and ordored to pay 10s. each by way of restitution. AVakefield and Collins are to appear for sentenco this morning. Wakefield, Collins, and Letheby pleaded guilty to the charge of breaking, entering, and theft, at Mr. Taylor's house. They were committed to the Supremo Court for sentence.

BIG BURGLARY. ORIENTAL BAY HOUSE ENTERED.' ■ Two mon who feigned disappointment because tlioir booty from an Oriental Bay house did not amount to £100 appeared in tho dock.' They admitted that on one Sunday evening in August thoy broke and entered the dwelling of Mr. Frederick G. Sanders, in Lindum Treraoo, and stole £78 18s. worth of jewellery, etc., belonging to Mrs. Sanders, £3 17s. 6d. bolonging to Mr. Sanders, and about £21 belonging to Miss Isabel Sanders. The accused were Phillip O'Donnell and James Leonard Loniax. Isabel Sandors, who resides with her brother Frederick, on the evening of Sunday, August 17, said 1 she went to church, leaving two windows unlocked. lii one drawer in. her bedroom she left £18, and about £3 in anot'kor drawer. Later that night fclic discovered that tho money was gone. ; Mrs. Sandors deposed that With her husband sho left tho house about an hour before her daughter. She returned a little boforo nino o'clock, and- when retiring at 9.30 "became aware that' jowellery was missing from her bedroom. The total value of the property taken bolonging to her husband and herself was £78 18s., and_ of this £17 3s. 6d. worth was still .missing. The missing articles included a pendant (£5), a silver buoklo (£5), and a string of pearls (£2). Prints of muddy boots in thoir bedroom were observed. Tho only thing which was broken open was a small work-basket.

s Detective Cummingß, of Auckland, gave evidence to tho effect that on August 29 lie arrested the accused and charged them. Lomax remarked: "We were silly to do it. We did not pet £100 worth." O'Donnell said: "Wo didn't get anything liko £100 worth." Detective Cummings produced confessions which he said were signed by the accused. (Lomax signed as Leonard.) In these statements thoy admitted the accusation in the main. Thoy said that on the day after tho crime they wont to New Plymouth, and then proceeded to Onehunga. They disposed of some of the jewellory to a secondhand dealer in Auckland—this through a man whom they rewarded with a commission. They stated that tho door of tho house had been left unlocked, and they had only to turn the.hnndle and walk in. O'Donnell said that the "pearls" had broken in his hands, and ho had thrown tliem away, and that they wore not genuine pearls. In reference to certain articles mentioned in ' the charge, and which wero reported as not recovered, O'Donnell stated that these things had neither been taken lior seen by them. In the room occupied by tho accused in Auckland, Detective Cummings continued, thero wero found three electric torches, a magnifying glass, and a batdn. The baton, they said, did not bolong to them. The stolen money had not been recovered; the accused said that they had spent.it. A few shillings had been found on them. Thoy had said that a ring taken from Mr. Sanders's place was in New Plymouth: "Ho gave mo the name of the girl, and inquiries aro being mado for it." Both O'Donnell and Lomax pleaded guilty, and they were committed to tho Supremo Court for sentence.

IRON WEAPON. ALLEGATION IN ASSAULT CASE. The uso of a portion of an iron bedstead as a woapon of offence was alleged in the action taken by Duncan Cameron against Thomas Blue, who was chagrcd with assaulting Cameron on September 9. The chief witness, Cameron, did not appear, but two young mon said that, attracted by a woman's cries, they went to where an altercation was in progress between Bluo and another man (Cameron). They saw Blue strike at Cameron's head, and Cameron seemed to cover his head with his hands, and receive tho blow 011 them. Cameron was dazed, and Blue aimed another blow, but ono of tho young mon intercepted it. Thoy parted tho two men, but~TJluo subsequently struck Camoron in the face.

Constable Sheahon stated that \vlion he went to Bluo's houso, Blue was under the influence of liquor. Blue admitted having hit Cameron with his fist,

but said that; ho did not strike, liim with the bar. Dr. C. D. Henry said that when lie examined Cameron the patient had a vertical wound 2$ inches long- 011 his forehead. Tho wound might liavo been caused by a heavy blow from tho suggested weapon. The caso will be continued tliis morning. ON S.S. KUMARA. AFFRAY IN THE FORECASTLE. Trouble 011 tho British steamer Kumara camo up for reviow in a caso in which Joseph Maynard, Florance Alien, and William Cleaver were chargcd with having assaulted ono Louis Andorson, and caused him bodily barm. The four were aqiong the forecastle company, of tho vessel, and tho affray occurred on September 3. Mr. J. Dickson appeared for tho three accused, who pleaded not guilty. Anderson admitted that he had quarro]|od with Maynard and Cleaver previous to tho occasion in question. On tho night of September 3, after he had gone to bed, Maynard came to his bunk and asked: "Were you the follow who spat in my face?" Witness replied: "Yes, after you hit me witli a bottle." Trouble ensued botweon himself and Maynar3. Allen camo in. Witness was struck in the bead, back, and stomach a number of times, and while he was staggering back to his slink he was hit in tho face. Dr. Eraser, houso surgeon at the Wellington Hospital, deposed that when Anderson was admitted to tho hospital he was suffering from slight wounds caused by somo sharp instrument. Tho tlirco accused, who pleaded not guilty, were committed to tho Supreme Court for sentence. Bail (£3O) was allowed. OTHER GASES. For insobriety, Mira Cooper was fined 10s., John Pitso 10s., and William M'Konzift 10s. Jessie M'Ewan, who was deemed to be ail idle and disorderly person, was sentenced to three months imprisonment. Similar sentenco was meted out to' Margaret M'Hugh, Stella Taylor, and James M'Kcever, who appeared on similar charges. ' ' Elizabeth Brady was sentenced to seven days' imprisonment for having escaped from tho Salvation Army Homo.