ALLEGED THEFT FROM FACTORY

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 213, 3 June 1920, Page 6

ALLEGED THEFT FROM FACTORY

, ACCUSED COMMITTED FOB TRIAL.

Arthur Joseph Langham was charged before Mr. E..Paqp, S.M., in the Magistrates Court yesterday with the theft of five packets of jelly.crystals, 281b. of baking powder, qno ease of cuatard- powder, two cases of-Woods'.'Peppermint Cure, and three bags-of sugar, of tho total value of £33 lOs.i- the property of the Empire Manufacturing Company. ...Chief-DBtective Ward prosecuted, and Mr. A. B. Sievwright an neared for the accused. Henry Charles Holland; manager of the Umpire Manufacturing Company s factory said that tho Broadway Terracfo entrance of the factory was' secured on Saturday, May 8. On Monday, May 10, when witness arrived at tho premises, ho found fre3h wheel.marks',in the cartway leadine to the loading placo. The front door of the factory" was "unfastened. The outer sate loading to Broadway Terrace was unfastened. and tho lock missing. Between 9 and '10 o'clock witness bdw Mrs. Langham place the padlock on tho outer gate. Witness- had a conversation with m>r, and received from "her two keys, one fitting the padlock on tho outer gate and the other thc-factory door. It was Langham's duty to'open tho premises at 7.40 li.m. He was - not there that morning, Mid had not .been to" work since. An examination of the factory showed that, fcoods as mentioned in the chargo sheet were missing. -Up ;to May'B tho accused had been. "in -iltheC company's employ for about three months, and had charge ol tho keys for. about ten weeks. ' Alfreda Burke,' waitress, said she lived In Broadway Terrace, next to the entranr.o of tho Empire Company's factory. On Sunday, May 9, at about noon, sho faw "a horse and oart and three men near tho entrance to the factory. Two of the men took the horse'and'cart up tho allejway, 'of tho ■ factory, tho ; other man unlocked the premises.,..' She saw them drive away 'shortly, afterwards. Thcro ■ were somo packages in the cart. Later in the afternoon sho saw tlio oamo horse and cart, and three men visit the Empire Company'* premises and leavo again. There »v#» goods In the cart on this occasion also. .Two men were in the cart and one was walking, as was tho case earlier in. t'm ■day. She was not sure whether tfio accused was the man *ho opened tho priInises that Sunday, mornine.

Detective B: G. Black safd that on May 14 in coitmany Defective Cara&r lio .interviewed accused at liis house in Klir.iv bcth Street in respect, to his movement!!. Ho alleged that ho was drunk, and was In his house asleep. on Sunday morning. He went to a sly grog-shop on Sunday, and was too ill to go to work on Monday. ,4s far as he knew the keys of the pre jnises were in liis possession all throuch tho week-end. TJio bag of sugar 'that, .was found in his houso was purchased, and was delivered by a carrier. He si-nt 'his wife to tho factory, on Monday morning with the ltevs, as ho was anxious nut Jo hold up the factory.

Mr. Sievwright urged that on its merits the' information' should be dismissed. There was nothing to connect the accused with tho thefts.

• William Douelas Cooke, manager of thn company, said that there were threo sets of keys of the padlock; one held by Holland, tho other by Laneham, and there was a epare set la tho • office. Witness carried a ke.v of the back door. The Bpare set of keys was not missed on the Saturday, May 8. As. far as witness knew the storcman never had tho keys. Mr. Sievwright again contended that tho evidenca was inadequate to convict tho accused of tho thefts, and no jury, would convict him on the evidence tendered. The accused was prepared to go into the box and give evidence if His Worshb felt there .was any doubt. -

Mr.' Page said lie- thought tlier»' was u prima facie case, and h« must send the accused for trial.

The accused pleaded not guilty, reserve his defence, and wa3 committed to the Supremo Court for trial. Bail was allowed in £75 and one surety of £75 or two sureties of £37 10b. each.