ROBBING A RETURNED SOLDIER

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2566, 14 September 1915, Page 9

ROBBING A RETURNED SOLDIER

A SALUTARY SENTENCE . Two months' imprisonment was the salutary sentence imposed by Mr. D. G. A. Cooper, S.M., in the Magistrate's Court yesterday on a youth of 19 years named Florence O'Donoghue, who was found guilty of stealing £2 from a trooper named Charles Edward Eccles, invalided home from the Dardanelles, on Saturday. The evidence in the case showed that Eccles. had had an argument in the Silver Grid Kostaurant on Saturday evening with aYireman off the Tahiti as to whether another trooper had come out by (t'he»Tahiti. The fireman, whose name was White, agreed to nave a wager of £1 with Eccles on the matter. The money was laid on the table, but Eccles said that he was so sure of the bet that he would put £1 against nothing. Eccles took £4 in. noles from liis • pocket, and placing three beside him, laid the other on the table. Meanwhile a waitress in the restaurant observed accused, who was with the trooper and the fireman, take the three notes off the table and put' them in his pocket. When the money was found to hare disappeared, O'Donoghue was taxed with it. He gave back a pound, which ho 6aid he had held for them, but denied the theft. A policeman was called in. Nothing was discovered on O'Donoghue, however, but £1 was found rolled up on the floor. For. the defence, O'Donoghue said lie had not taken the money, but that instead had just taken up some newspaper clippings to look at. These had been taken out by Eccles ' with the money. The £1 accused had handed back,die, said, had .been given him temporarily to cover the bet. Mr. P. W.Jackson, who appeared for accused, said there was sufficient element of ,doubt about the theft for his Worship to dismiss the information. , "I have not the slightest doubt in my mind hit that he is' guilty," said tho Magistrate. "It was a mean, despicable thing to steal money from a soldier just returned from the front, where he had been doing his best to fight for his country. Yes, it was a despicable thing,' and this young brute hero ought to be ashamed of himself. He will be sentenced! to two months'- imprisonment. 1 Mr. Jackson: But a young man who has not previously been, convicted will surely be given a chance His Worship (warmly): He's a despicable j'oung waster, and I don't care who he be I will give no one a chance who dares -to rob soldiers. ■