THE WAX-MATCH CLUE

Hokitika Guardian, 23 September 1926, Page 4

THE WAX-MATCH CLUE

A SUSPECTED BURGLAR. CHRISTCHURCH, September 21. When Frances Elizabeth Collins came home on the evening of September 12, she found that her house and shop had been broken into, and money and , goods stolen. On the floor beside the till, in the shop, were two wax matches, oi a distmotive kind, and since the shop was | lit by electricity the police ’ concluded that the matches were used by tin burglar. They took possession ol the partly-burnt matches, and when they arrested a man suspected of the crime, they found similar one in his possession. A suspicious circumstaiue, which was used in evidence against Edward Mahoney when he came before Mr H. A. .Young. S.M. ill the Police Court to-day. Mahoney, who was represented bv Mr F. D. Sargent, was charged with breaking and entering fine dwelling o’ .Mrs Collins, and stealing ii'l 10s in cash, anti goods to the value of €8 10s. Fra in os Elizabeth Collins said that on September 12 she left home at midday, locking all the doors and windows. When she returned at about 0.15 that evening, she found the side-dooi open. The bedroom was ransacked, and the blinds drawn down. She missed a brooch, a quantity of chocolates and cigarettes, and some money. .As the slion was lighted hv electricity, she could not have used the matches found by the till. George Madden, a second-hand dealer, said that on September 15. he bought a brooch from a man. who gave his name as D. Merchant, and w'’om he now identified as accused. He had been told by the police that such an article had been stolen. Acting-Detective A. Allen said that on the floor of Mrs Collins’s shop, near U 'e till, he picked up two wax matches, They were noticeably thinner and longer than the ordinary wax matches. On September 15 he recovered the breech from Madden, the second-hand dealer, and on September 17. he intciviev.ed accused and asked Ihim for an explanation regarding the brooch lie had sold to the second-hand dealer, lie made an explanation that ho had bought the brood 1 ’ from a stranger, which witness took down, but accused refused to sign it. Mahoney was arrested. and when searched at the Police Station there was found in his pocket matches similar to those found in Mrs Collins’s shop. Accused reserved his defence, and pleaded not guilty. He was committed to the Supreme Court for trial on Noeenibor 16. Rail was refused.

Worms, if unchecked, stunt child’s growth and entirely upset nervous system. Wade’s Worm ligx—safe and pie a sent rein ed y.—A art.