A SHAM-DEAF MUTE

Hokitika Guardian, 24 May 1928, Page 4

A SHAM-DEAF MUTE

KNfFE'-GRJNDKR’S KUS*

CHIUSTCHUBCH. May 23

Henry Patrick Moore, aged 38. a miner from Ireland, with no fixed abode, had seven charges of theft and one of attempted theft preferred against him in the Magistrate’s Court yesterday morning.

He had an ingenious method of going round from house to house pretending to .'he deaf and dumb, and indicating bis woeful condition by means of a letter, which told of a speechless married man with a family to support, and begging for any odd jobs, such as sharpening scissors, lawn-mowers, and the like.

Tf there was no response to his call at the door and he thought the people of tiie house were out, his dumbness immediately turned to alertness and windows were quickly broken or doors forced, and the intruder helped himself to anything he fancied, from diamond rings, watches, spare cash, and miiits of clothes, to nips from the whisky bottle in the pantry.

This ruse gained him fair spoil from May 3rd till May 10th, but bis (.(forts on that day were doomed to failure. He demonstrated his pitiful condition to Mrs Kerr, living in Colombo street. Sydenham, and she gave him two knives to grind. He then left and rjbout half-an-liour Inter he returned and went into t'-e Vuse adjacent. No. 230, occupied b\ •lames Gray. There was no one home and while Mrs Kerr waited for him to come out. the “dumb” thief was setting quickly to work. Mrs Kerr went to the house and found that it had been broken into. She, with her daughter, went for help, and Frederick Charles Wells, a piano tuner, .-nine to the rescue and accosted Moore as he went down the street. His onlv rejoinder was: “You don’t want me?” Shortly after the police arrived and the game was lip.

The total value of the thefts was £lO4, secured from eight houses in seven days. Thirty-nine pounds’ worth of the spoil is still missing. HI (lore was repentant later and admitted every thing to the police. Ho gave all the assistance possible to recover’the stolen property. Yesterday ho pleaded guilty on ill char-ms. and MV-srs S. Clifton Bingham and II Holland. J.f.’s committed him to the (Supreme Court for sentence.