Feilding Magistrate's Court

Feilding Star, Volume XV, Issue 89, 12 October 1893, Page 2

Feilding Magistrate's Court

* THIS DAY. Before Messrs Kirton and S her will, J's.P* Joseph Knight was charged by the police with feloniously entering into the Foilding branch of the Colonial Bank of New Zealand on the evening of Saturday, October 7th. Oliver Wakelm was called and deposed : Was clerk in the Colonial Bank of New Zealand ; remembered the 7th of October ; was in the bank about 2 o'clock in the afternoon ; the window in the sitting room fronting Bowen street was open, but he could not say how high ; could not say whether the door leading from the manager's room to the sitting room was shut or closed ; the window of room recently occupied by himself, fronting Bowen street, was open ; on leaving the bank about 2 ©'clock in the afternoon the outside doors were all locked ; had possession of the keys ; went to the bank about 8.30 or 8.45 in the evening; went into the office, aittiog room and bedroom at the back ; had no light ; remained on premises about five or ten minutes ; did not notice anyone unusual ; did cot close windows ; went to Manchester Hotel to get a hand, bag to prepare for sleeping in the bank ; one or mow officert sleep in the bnnk at night ; teturned to bank about 9.25 preparatory to going to bed ; entered by front door ; went into sittine room after striking a light in front office ; pulled down blind in sitting room ; remained there a minute or two ; went into front bedroom and there found a stranger ; the stranger was kneeling down in front of a chest of drawers and the clothes were lying about ovor the floor; the man jumped up as soon as ho entered ; knew the prisoner, who was in court ; pointed revolver at him when he saw him ; bad revolver in left hand and candle in the other ; told him to stand, which he did after a slight hesitation ; told him to put up his hands ; then ordered bim to turn out his pockets ; there was no property on the man belonging to the bank or officers ; when witness first entered the room the man said "I want "but did not wait to heur any more ; be said something else that sounded like silver or keys ; said be was " hard up " and pushed to it ; also, that be saw the window open and could not resist the temptation ; said, had witness been later, or not so quick, might have done mischief, and did not care if he was given in churge ; took him to police station ; was present when accused was searched by Constable Tuohy; a stone, tied in a pocket handkerchief, was found in his pocket ; never saw accused before. Prisoner said he did not wish to ask witness any question. By the Bench : The revolver was kept in the bank office during the day, and he made a practice of taking the revolver with him to the bedroom, when going to bed ; did not suspect anyone was in the room when be discovered accused. Constable Tuohy deposed : About 20 minutes to 10, on the evening of October 7, took charge of accused in front of the police station. Accused said " I was hard up. I had not a shilling in the world. I saw the windows open and I could not resist going into the bank." By the Bench : Had learned from the prisoner he was about eighteen months in the colony and came here from Mastertoa ; his feet were sore and he had no swag. The accused said lie would reserve his defence, and had nothing to say. He was committed to take bis trial in Wellington on the 27th November next, and tbe court adjourned.