TOLD THE MAGISTRATE

Hokitika Guardian, 4 June 1927, Page 4

TOLD THE MAGISTRATE

LONDON, April 14. Tiic courage and energy of a man of 74 prevented an audacious “smash and grab” ro'bbery of a tray of 39 diamond rings, valued at £2550. in mid-after-noon at Oxford street, V 7. Two young ex-Irish guardsmen, Heibert Cartwright and Patrick Jo-cph Doherty, met on Waterloo Bridge and recognised each other as old comrades. Cartwright had been a lance-sei-gennt and lost n job as temporary warder at Wandsworth Gaol, where ho had tried to smuggle in a letter to a prisoner and had been dismissed. Doherty, after serving fours years m the Irish Guard's, deserted last month. The two wore short of money, and Cartwright, seeing a stone in the road, had an inspiration. •‘Let us break a jeweller’s window and grab what we can,” he proposed. “Carry on, sergeant,” said Doherty, and Cartwright hid tile stone in a newspaper, smashed the window ol 51), Oxford street, and grabbed the tray of diamonds—which, however, stuck in the hole in the glass. While Cartwright was wrestling with 1 a small fortune Mr George Leopold Shepherd, of Clapton, n hale and vigo--1 rous man of 71, plcckily gripped the ; ex-lance-sergeant,’ who is only 24, by tin- arm and threw him to the ground. Doherty heat a retreat, but was ultimately captured, thanks to a very complete- description given by Cartwright. who could not escape I rum the tenacious hold of Mr Shepherd. Air Chancellor, tho magistrate at Marllxucugli street Bolin- Court, yesterday said these “smash and grab’’ cases were becoming much too common

(NISOS \VCTO IH'OOlllllU; liLULII t'J » ivUimiwn and lie sentenced each ex-Guardsmen to six months hard labour, and. on behalf of the police, thanked Mr Shepherd for his valuable and courageous public service. Domestic troubles more than criminal practices occupied the Bradford court this morning. Thomas, Irom Nottingham, is a young entertainer, hut he has not been feeling very funny of late cuing to the demands made on his salary bv a paternity order on which he owed 15s. lie told the court ho was out of work and living with his father. “But you could get work at the

seaside." suggested the stipendiary. ••<)h ] lest money there,” replied Thomas mournfully, and ho told how he came to Bradford on Sunday on

■ a 5s trip and how only 7s was loit. “Ho had a £1 note when he surrendered this morning.’’ announced the gaoler. "I have to buy something for my father with that.” protested Thomas. "You will pay the Lis or go to prison,” said the stipendiary pleasantly and Thomas, who did not look at all entertaining, pal'd .James Thewlis is ;l rag-gatherer. He owed £3s 3s to a woman wearing a green and chocolate shawl, who remarked that on Saturdays .(nines was a travelling greengrocer. “Ho stays in common lodging-houses under a name other than his own.” observed the gaoler, who is a Very awkward person to have a.s a companion in the dock. Janies will neither collect rags nor sell cabbages for tin- next 21 days. » * * « * Louisa, the housemaid, left her husband, who ill-treated her. and went into service, but she got into had company and, owing money at her lodgings, she helped herself to cash Irom her employer’s bag whenever it was lying around. Louisa and her sister had a. weeping match in court. The sister won easily, Louisa giving in when she was put on probation.

Thomas Riley, an able-bodied young man, said that when lie came out of prison the last time he had to go to the Bowling Colony workhouse, so ho could not afford to pay his wife £9O. “He never pays,” remarked the disapproving gaoler. “And he looks as if he won’t work,” observed the stipendiary. “I’ve got ten hob,” blurted Rilev. “We will take that on account.” said the magistrate, and the young wife gasped in surprise at receiving real money from her husband.

No fewer than 104 cases of non-pay-ment of income tax were decided in 25 minutes. One man in the wool-c-vmhiug business, who has a salary of £450, said ho was unable to pay £5 16s arrears. “You ought to be ashamed of yourself,” snapped the stipendiary, in mailing an order for immediate payment. “Go away. Me want to keep the court as clean as possible.”