STORY OF A WATCH

Hokitika Guardian, 9 December 1927, Page 4

STORY OF A WATCH

STOLEN 1* ROM OWNER. RESTORED AFTER 44 YEAIiS. SYDNEY, Nov. 27. A remarkable coincidence, worthy of a place in the most exaggerated fiction, was associated with the restoration of a watch stolen trom its owner II years previously. The owner of the watch was s\lr 3. \Y. Butcher, a resident of Emerald, a Victorian township. Alter a period of residence at Seymour, another Victorian town. Mr Butcher was presented by residents ol the district in 1883. with the watch as a token of their regard. The watch was appropriately inscribed, and Mr Butcher valued it greatly. Later in that year lie went to Brisbane, and while attending to some business on a wharf, he took oil his coat and waistcoat and left them in an olliee. When lie returned the watch, which hail lw -i" cue ol the pockets, had gone. Mr Butcher was pertuiihed at- his loss, and extensive eiii|iiiiies were made, hill without result. Alter a lapse of several years, Mr Butcher resigned himself to what seemed n certainty of never seeing iiis watch again. He returned to Victoria some time ago. and look up residence at Emerald. Last Saturday morning n man entered a jo Welle i * ‘in'" in Rourke street. Melbourne, and. producing a gold walcli, the hack of which had worn thin with ace. asked that certain reoairs should he made to it. When the man had g tie. t he jeweller examined the watch i-e- carefully, and to his snrnrise found il engraved with the name of Mr Butcher, who. hv a strange coincidence, was an old friend of his. He immediately communicated with Mr Butcher, "ho, on examining the watch, rei ognised it a< (lie one presented to him at Soy mom !-f years before.

Tho |>i 1 ii-f were informed, and a detective wus dela iled to make enquiries. Ho visited tlie man who had left the watch with the jeweller, ami found him to be a retired Civil servant of impeccable character. The man said the watcli was a lepacy from a dead brother, who. he understood, had purchased it. some years hoioro hi-, death at an auction sale in Melbourne for Co. He was delighted to (he able to restore the watch to its original and rightful owner.