Pocket-picking up to Date.

Manawatu Herald, 13 May 1897, Page 3

Pocket-picking up to Date.

« One night last Deoember Mr Arthur Downes, husband of the licensee of the Masonic Hotel, was walking in Cambridge terrace, when he observed a man lying in ths gutter, apparently drunk. He stooped over the man and asked him if anything was the matter. The unknown, however, appeared as being merely intoxicated, and Mr Downes accordingly left him. Shortly afterwards ha missed his gold watch and chain, und becoming suspicious as to the bona fides of the supposed drunkard, hastened back, but the inebriate had made a wonderfully rapid recovery, and was nowhere to be seen. Mr Downes reported his loss to the police, but no arrest was made. Certain circumstances about the man John Dalton, alias Shorfcall, alias Maogregor, who is at present on remand in connection with the robbery of £70 from the box of a man named Henry Thomson ih Courtenay-place, aroused Chief De tective Campbell's suspicions, and he to-day charged Dalton with having stolen a gold watoh and chain, valued at £70, tha property of Mr Downes. The detective also arrested Emma Dalton, the accused's wife, on a similar charge, as she is alleged to have tried to dispose of the articles. As Dalton has been remanded till Friday, on tbat day both he and his wife will come before the Court on this further charge. — Post.