Preferred Gaol to Starvation.

Manawatu Herald, 15 August 1893, Page 3

Preferred Gaol to Starvation.

The iV«j* reports : — A peculiar cane came up at the Resident Magistral's Court on Saturday morning. Among those brought before Mr J. C. Martin for various offences, was a young man of fairly respectable ap pearance named Edward Dennis, pleaded Guilty to a charge of having stolen a pair of shoes, value 8s 6d. from the shop of Michael Tracey, bootmaker, Willis-street. His Worship was informed by Inspector Pender that the circumstances of the case were of a peculiar character. It appeared that some time after the theft had been committed, Dennis went up to Constable Murdoch and informed him that he had taken the shoes, at the same time pointing them out on his feet. The constable saw Tracey, who identified his property, and Murdoch then brought the man to the station. Sergeant Major Ramsay explained that the man had, on the 4th ult. received a sentence of 7 days for being illegally on premises, tie appeared to be very hard up. His Worship to prisoner : What have you got to say about this, Dennis ? Did you want to go back to gaol, that you deliberately went and committed this offence ? Prisoner : Well, your Worship, I think I might as well be in gaol as knocking about hard up and starving. I did it to get back to gaol. His Worship : Very well ; a3 the offence was committed for that purpose, we can easily accommodate You are sentenced to six months' imprisonment with hard labour. The accused, who seemed to be a man of fair intelligence, then left the dock with an indifferent and careless expression on his face.