A RANSACKED TILL

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 194, 12 May 1921, Page 6

A RANSACKED TILL

HOTEL PORTER ARRAIGNED

A QUESTION OF TILL COMBINATION

A young man named Alfred Charles Morris was charg'd in the. Supremo Court yesterday, before His Honour Mr. Justice Hosking and <i jury of twelve, with the theft of ot’ls in money, the property of George Brett, proprietor of the Trocadero Private Hotel, Wellington. The money was alleged to have been stolon from tho till at tho hotel on the evening of April 13 last. The sum lost consisted of one <£s note and ten "singles.” In the lower Court the proprietor had stated that the money was taken during his absence from the office between the hours of 8.30 and 9.30 p.m., and that the accused, a porter at the hotel, knew the combination of the till, which worked by means of an automatic lever. When questioned by Detective Black, accused had made three statements denying the cliarge. Yesterday Mr. P. S. K. Macassey appeared for’ tho Crown, and Mr. P. J. O’Regan for the accused, who pleaded not guilty. George Brett,' proprietor of the Trocadero Private Hotel, said that he kept his ordinary “takings” in a Tucker till, which worked by a combination of five levers. To open the till a person would 4iai|b .’tt> ’h;.(i’el p. knowledge of 'the combination. On the night of April 13 the sum of about <£l6 10s. was in the till, there being one <£s note and ten “singles,” in addition to ten-shilling notes and small change. The accused knew the combination. Accused had expressed surprise on learning that any money had been taken from the till. He had been in witness’s employ for a period of five weeks before the alleged theft, but had been working at tho Trocadero for about four years.

Cross-examined: Witness did not think it was impossible to open the till without a knowledge of the combination, but such a procedure would require much manipulation. There had been other thefts at the Trocadero, but not from the till. Witness did not suspect the accused of having been responsible for the other thefts.

Augustus Eobalus Miller, night porter at the Trocadera Hotel, gave evidence that lie knew whenever night lodgers came in, as it was his duty to admit them. He did not “book anyone in” on the night of the disappearance of tho 4115. He had received small sums from accused, “not because he owed it to me, 'but just out of friendship,” added the witness. Witness had twice opened the till accidentally, since it had been in the office, a period of about four months. Mr. Justice Hosking: Were you trying to open it ? (Daughter.) . Witness: Accidental, sir, and simultaneous—like! William N. B. Anderson, third cook at the Trocadero, said h? saw the' accused on the morning of April 14 in his room. Morris gave him « <£s note. Bank of Australasia, saying, “Hold it for me. If the detectives find it on me thev will think I have stolen it out of the fill.” Morris did not say where he got the note, added witness. To Mr. O’Regnn: Witness remained on the premises of the hotel that night, and the two slept in th? same room, No. 01. He had done this about twelve times previously. No one inquired at the room, that night, although it was the accused s usual room. ... *. Detective Black produced statements given him by the accused, one oi which alleged that the sum of 415 was given him bv a certain woman. One of the statements indicated that the .£5 was a “tote" dividend. After ho had opened the case for the defence, Mr. O’Began asked the Court if the till might b? inspected. After the inspection, evidence yas given by the accused, who denied having stolen the money. He said he had been employed at the Trocadero just on four years, having commenced when he was 16 rears of age. He was in charge of the elevator and the office on the evening of April 13. Witness called the night porter at 9 p.m., and during his absence the door of the office was left unlocked. Witness thought he had told the night porter the combination. His Honour: You're not sure you told him ? Witness: No. . . I cant say for certain. . , , , After the robbery, said witness, he had .£7 in his possession, a 415 note and two “singles," in addition to small change. He gave Anderson the 415 to hold because he was afraid of the detectives. It was nob true that he had obtained tho note from the woman previously mentioned, for be had got it from the Trentham races. Ho did not tell the detectia es the truth because, as he was under 21, he was afraid of being apprehended on the score of betting. The day before he went to the races ho received <£s from the woman, and later 10s., as she owed him’ some money. Witness was receiving £2 odd a week and his board and lodging. To the Crown Prosecutor: He did not liook anyone in on the evening of April 13. He did not know whether or not he had told the night porter of the combination, but he would not deny Miller’s statement. ■ , A lengthy cross-examination followed in the course of which accused said the reason he gave Miller 12s. was because he deemed it interest on a debt—already paid—of <£l. Accused admitted that he had given Mrs. a costume worth 4116 IGs , and also that he was in debt to bookmakers. The case will be resumed this morning. ISSUE OF li PER CENT. BONDS « SUBSCRIPTION OF .£190,000 TO N.Z. FARMERS. (From Our Own Correspondent.) Christchurch. May 11. Wednesday’s newspapers mis-stated the aggregate sum applied for by the public in connection with tho .£500.000 71 per cent, bond issue by the New Zealand Farmers’ Co-operative Association of Canterbury, Limited. What had been subscribed up to that time was <£l9o,ooo—-not i 4119,000. Since then further requisitions | have come in, whereby the aggregate has been extended. It is anticipated that complete success will attend the entire issue, as money is still coming in freely.