PURSE MISSED

Hokitika Guardian, 22 December 1920, Page 4

PURSE MISSED

INCIDENT ON THE WAITING. U 1 ‘tl CHRISTCHURCH, December 21. Pocket picking on the ferry steamer p Wahine was alleged in the Magistrate’s Court, before Air V. G. Day S.AL yes- p terday. Robert Henry Thomas, aged j sixty years, was charged with having t stolen on the Waliine at Wellington on < December 5, a purse containing £3O. t Air F. D. Sargent appeared for iho nc- , eased, who pleaded not guilty. Inspcc- , tor Dew conducted the case for the . , police.

William Rae Don, a merchant of •. West Harbour, Dunedin, said that lie left Wellington on tho AVahinc on December 15th. As ho was leaning over the rails at the ship’s side saying goodbye to some friends he felt someone pressing him on the back and found that the pressure came from a woman. He made room for her. About two minutes later lie felt a strong pressure ; from behind. Witness looked round. The man who was pressing commenced waving his hand to someone apparently on the wharf. Witness did not see his face, but noted that lie was wearing a light overcoat. The pressure was repeated about a, minute later, then the man who pressed hint walked quickly away. Witness followed him. The man zig-zagged through the crowd towards the ship’s bow. Witness found his purse liiis-sing from his right hip pocket. Witness noticed tile man in the light overcoat put something ill the left-hand

pocket of the coat. When witness ealight up with the man he was os.tensibly saying good-bye to somebody, He denied having stolen witness’s purse. Witness got the assistance of another passenger and put his hand into the aillegtad thiefs left-hand pocketi The man drew out his hand quickly, and witness’s purse foil*to the deck. Having recovered his property, witness did not report the occurrence. When witness threatened to give the man a thrashing the reply was: “I wish to God you would go on with it and end it; you have got your purse!” At the invitation of tlio ship’s purser, witness identified the alleged thief next morning. In reply to a question, the accused man said lie supposed it was “the drink” which got liim into trouble. He added : “You’ve got. got your purse back, you haven’t lost anything; are you going to lot the matter drop? 1 pliavo a wife and my sins should not lie visited on her.” Witness invited the man to wait while lie gave his luggage to a steward, and the man acquiesced, hut disappeared while witness was away. There was a sum of about £2B or £3O in the purse. Witness identified accused as the man who had taken his purse. Constable, E. iA. Irwin, of Lyttelton said that he apprehended accused on the ferry train at Lyttelton. Accused protested that lie was innocent, and wit-, ness said to liim, “I don’t expect you to admit it right off.” Accused replied: “You wouldn’t, expect me to admit it if you were running away from your 1 wife and were accused of it. You ! would not admit it either.” When witness first saw accused he was wearing spectacles; when he spoke to him in the carriage he lmd no spectacles on. Wit- ; ness found a pair of spectacles in ncjcusod’s pocket. j. Constable AT. Hodgins, of. Lyttelton. | said that he interviewed accused at tho i police gaol on December 16. Accused ! said to him : “I have been going straight for nine years. I had t6o much I to drink last night, and temptation was j placed in ray way. and I fell, I cannot understand that gentleman as he promised me that he .would say nothing about it.”

Accused reserved his defence and was committed to the Supreme Court for trial.

Experienced housewives always use SHARLAND’S BAKING POWDER. It makes lovely light pastry, cakes and scones. Most economical. -