Three Times Burgled.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 26 April 1910, Page 4

Three Times Burgled.

A "BOX AND COX" AFFAIR

After returning the third tim i fi'om a holiday to learn that hi house at Carlton Vale, had bee] ; visited hy burglars, Mr A. H. Mac i queen (says "Lloyd's News") begni 5 to consider the matter too much o t a, flox-and-Cox affair. As a resul i lie appeared on a recenit Monday > at Marylebone Pofice Court to prose r cute three Kilburn painters, Franci 1 Connell, Charles Spicer ajid Alfrei i Smith, as alleged housebreakers. His narrative to the magistrate i was more than once interrupted b* interested parties. He said tin i first time burglars came to his lions* I he was away for a week-end, am l returning missed some cigars am . cigarettes: the second time lie wn: • at Ostend, and the thieves then goi - away with silver wortih £30; nnt > the third time he was holiday-mak • ing in Devonshire. The Magistrate's Clerk, interrupt ing, in surprise: You were rathei • brave to go away again under the circumstances. Mr Macqueen: Well, we thought we were immune; we did not drean: i that they would come back again. On the second question, proceeded i the burglar-haunted citizen, he ■ called in a builder, and had the i door secured with an iron bar, but i when he arrived home on the third occasion, in response to a telephonic message from tho police, htf learnt that the burglars had calmly removed the bar and forced the conservatory door and the folding break-fast-room window. The liouso was in disorder, and among articles packed ready for removal was a basket with four bottles of champagne, an overcoat with tho pocket full of cigars, a clock, and somo china, worth about £30. At this point of Mr Macqueen's story one of the men in the dock remarked: The house didin't wan't! much breaking into when I went there, for it was already burgled. How .Mr Macqueen oamo (to be introduced to the uninvited visitors made another interesting story, as told by the police. Constable liradbury gob wind of something going on at the holiday-maker's house, and, climbing over the garden wall, lie /peeped through the basement window and saw tho three men now accused inside the room. He drew his truncheon' and rushed in. Spicer and Smith fled, but Conn ell, cornered, sank into a chair and said: "Don't hit me with that, governor," referring to the truncheon, "the game's up. I'll go quietly." Whilst this wr.s happening, two more policemen hurried up, hot in tie scent. Constable Jefferson s aled a side gate and caught sight of the two fugitives hiding among the ivy. He blew his whistle, and Smith gave himself up; but Spicer made alast dash for it over the wall leading to the Paddington Recreation Ground. , Sergeant Senior followed in pursuit, a/nd, after a sharp chase, overtook him. "All -right, you've won," his prisoner panted. There was no evidence, it was said, to connect these three men with the previous robberies, and Connell begged the magistrate to deal with the case rather than send it for trial, quoting as a precedent the case of a man who had spenib forty years in prison, and was, nevertheless, dealt with by a magistrate and sentenced to six months imprisonment. Mr Paul Taylor: No. I will not deal with it now. An Act lias been passed by which criminals can be sent ajwnv for indefinite period. Cornell: But that won't touch me, will it? The Magistrate: I hope it will. "Oh. dear." exclaimed Connell, scratching his head. The Magistrate: I think you are the verv sort of person the Act. was passed to deal with. You will all go fcr Trial.