A Strange Case.

Feilding Star, Volume XV, Issue 288, 14 April 1894, Page 3

A Strange Case.

THE WOMAN AND THE DETEC TIYE. The Wellington correspondent o the Wairarapa Star wired to tha paper on Tuesday as follows : — Ai extraordinary charge of theft wa: preferred against a well-known ant respectable woman named Amelu Bates in the Magistrate's Court to day by Detective Gantley. Th« woman was accused of stealing twe handkerchiefs, valued at Is 3d, fronc the sale of Kirkcaldie and Stains who bought McArthur's stock. De tective Gantley was put on to de tect petty thefts, and watched Mrs Bates take the handkerchiefs in her hand, examine them, and walk up to the further end of the counter, where she subsequently, on his accusing her of theft, showed him she had left them. As they were concealed by her stockings, ho« ever, ho considered she had planted them with ulterior views notwithstanding th.it she protested to the contrary. The prisoner, as she admits, horrified at the groundlegs accusation, fell on her knees before Mr Kirkcaldie and the detective and besought them not to lock her up, as she was innocent. She supplicated, not for herself, but for her sick husband and children. Mr Kirkcaldie said he had placed tho matter in the hands of the police and could not interfere. Mr Skerrett, who defended, said that detectives generally saw through coloured glasses, and distorted facts. Mr Collins, an ex-Judge, said he had known Mrs Bates seventeen years. She was a respectable, woman and a good worker iv the Church to which he belonged. The case was dismissed. It is likely that an action for false imprisonment will be brought against the police.