THEFT FROM BOARDING HOUSE.

King Country Chronicle, Volume V, Issue 334, 4 February 1911, Page 6

THEFT FROM BOARDING HOUSE.

COMMITTED FOR SENTENCE. j As the result of a particularly ! smart capture by the police on Thurs- j day morning, a sitting of the Police j Court was held in the afternoon, I Messrs J. Tammadge and F. H. Sims, j J.P's., presiding. j Andrew Mercer, a young man was ; charged that he did steal from a boarding house in Taupiri street the ! sum of £lO, the property of a fellow \ boarder. j Informant, who is a carpenter, | stated that he arrived from Napier j by the express that morning and when j in search of accommodation met the I accused who was on a similar quest. ■ They both got shake-downs in the i passage of Rookwood House. Wit- , ness said he hung his coat and waist- j coat over accused's bed. The waistcoat contained the money which com- | prised one .£5 note and five single ' notes. He missed the money about a . quarter to eight. Witness said he could identify the five pound note by the rolls on it and the single notes were similar to the ones he possessed i

Constable Capp gave evidence to the j arrest of accused by Constable Mat- j hews and himself. Witness stattd \ that a pound note was found in ac- ! cused sox, and when questioned about the balance said he had thrown it | away. Constable Mathews deposed that ; when Constable Capp was away look- i ing for the balance accused admitted that he had hidden the balance. They j went together and accused showed him I a box in which tools were kept in the j engine shed stating that it was there. ■ The money was found and was that j produced in the Court. Accused gave evidence on his own behalf relating how he came across informant in looking for a bed which ! they secured at Rookwood House. He took the money when informant was ; washing. His reason for doing so : was that he left his work at Tirau , and wont to Kihikihi where he spent j his money in drinking heavily. He j owed money at Tirau where he came ; from, and both facts led to his committing the theft. He was sorry ; shortly after he had taken the ! money and planted it. He did not ; know that the pound note was in ; his sox when taken to the police ' station. He stated that he had al- ■ ways been in constant work. Accused : admitted having been convicted previously for a petty theit. Accused pleaded guilty and was ; committed to the Supreme Court for sentence.