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Hokitika Guardian, 30 November 1925, Page 1

UK'II SHOD THIEF. LONDON. Sept. 2!). When Fiances Beitli. a married woman, aged 50. described as independent and giving an address at Egorton Terrace, Eulluun-rond. S.AV., was charged at Alarlhorough-stroefc Police Court yesterday with stealing a hat worth £1 15. sod from the shop of Messrs 1). IT. Evans and Co, Limited, of Oxford-street. W., a detective staled that she appeared to be ‘‘a. woman of considerable means, worth about £5,000 or £0,000.” She was the wife of a, colonel, from whom she was separated. Airs Tleitlt pleaded that her health was indifferent and that she had intended to pay for the hat. Tin* magistrate (Air Rootli) said ho could not accept the suggestion that ill-health would render her oblivious to the rights and wrongs of things. Airs Deith expressed her deep regret. The Afngistrnto: A'our deep regret is that you were caught. A fine of £5 was imposed, the magistrate taking into consideration the fact that there were no previous convictions against her.

£25.000 SQUANDERED. LONDON, October 7. Stated to have inherited £25,000 at the age of 21, Alary Muriel Annie Stott, aged 30, described as a secretary, was sent to prison for 15 months in the second division at Manchester yesterday for obtaining goods by false pretences from -Messrs Affleck and Brown, Ltd. She had ordered the goods in the name of a relative who was a customer of the firm. Stott, a well-dressed woman, was stated to have been well brought up. She married an Army officer, and from that time lived extravagantly in Pans. S-lie ordered large quantities of clothes, but, unable to wear them all. sold the surplus to wardrobe dealers. The three children of the marriage were at one time found in a London slum, where their clothes had been sold. Their mother had previously been convicted in London for obtaining goods by fraud, and later obtained a situation in a nursing home, where it was found she had extracted cheques from letters to patients. Afr Philip Brierlev, defending, said that Stott not heavily into debt, and she and her husband separated. She had many unfortunate business ventures and had lost money in cotton and motor-car transactions as well as in a poultry farm. She still had a life interest in £2,500 and hoped to settle her debts soon.