GRAND OPERA HOUSE THEFT

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 286, 27 August 1920, Page 8

GRAND OPERA HOUSE THEFT

SILK PLEADS GUILTY. Oases arising out of the theft of last Saturday's takings at the Uraud Opera Uoubo were dealt with by Mr. .1. S. Evans, S.M., in the Magistrate's Court yesterday afternoon. Henry Hubert Silk was charged with the theft of a handbag, valued at £2, and £244 ,15s, 9d. in money, the contents of the ban. The facts, as Btatcd for the prosecution, were that Jlr. Vlcrt Hoyle, New Zealand representative for J. and N. Tait end J. 0. YVillianmon, Ltd., was i resent .when the money was counted and placed in the baj. Mr. Petrie, the treasurer of the convpanv, placed the bag for a moment on a piano, and almost, immediately it dlaappeared. Silk, who had no right to be in the theatre at that time -11.15 p.m.), yielded to a sudden temptation to seize the bag. He cleared ,out towards the waterlront, and near the boating sheds ho emptied the money into his pocket and threw the bag over a fence, where it was subsequently found. Bilk then went to tho Leviathan Private Hotel, in Manners Street. Thero ho saw a man named Glennan, and asked the latter to give £10 in silver \o hia (Silk's) brother. Glcnnan refused, and asked Silk where ho obtained the money, and he replied that ho had "cleaned up" the Opera House. On the following day Constables Condon and Healey were wnlkir.g up Kent Terrace towards tho Basin Reserve, when they buw Silk and a man named Kobcrt Gordon sitting on a seat. Silk had his hat off, and the constables.saw him handing silver money from the hat to Gordon. The police, wanted to Interview Silk, and the two •men were arrested. When taken to the station £214 in notCB and £6 13b. In Bilver wa ß found on Silk, and £6 16s. 6d. in Bilver on Gordon. Sill; wade a statement, in which he admitted Ms guilt, and yesterday he pleaded guilty to the charge. He was committed to the Suprome Court for sentence. An Information Dismissed, Robert Gordon, for whom Mr. A. B. Sievwright ■ appeared, was charged with receiving £8 16s. 6d. from Silk, knowing the same to have been dishonestly obtain: ed The evidence was in almost all respects similar to that given in the previous case. Silk Baid that ho met Gordon on the Sunday, and as he owed him money he offered to pay him. He told Gordon that he had had a bit of luck in nlavlng at "two up." , The Magistrate said that the evidence was certainly not very rtrong. Accused did get money that was stolen, but ho i wan'told that it was won at two up. . He did not think any jury would convict on the evidence... Ho therefore oiamlaaed the information, and ordered that £ i 10b. of the amount found on him should be Returned to Mr. Boyle. Gordon had claimed that he had about £2: 4a. of his own money when Silk was paylnz him.