ALLEGED THEFTS AND BURGLARY.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXIX, Issue 3769, 2 July 1907, Page 3

ALLEGED THEFTS AND BURGLARY.

Anderson and McGlashan before the Court. A series of charges of theft at Foxton were preferred at the Palmerston S.M. Court yesterday afternoon against John W. Anderson and Alexander McGlashan. The pair were first jointly charged with having, on May 25th, 1906, stolen eleven sheets of iron, valued at £1 7s 6d, from A. Speirs. Anderson, for whom Mr H. Maclean appeared, pleaded not guilty, and McGlashan (Mr Innes) guilty. There was another charge against the |two of having, on or about the same date, broken and entered the premises of M. H. Walker and stolen therefrom j£io worth of tobacco and cigarettes.

Mr Innes, in intimating that his client was pleading guilty to the first charge, said he proposed to ask that he be dealt with before the case was gone into, especially if his evidence was to be used against his accomplice. However, the hearing of these charges was deferred for a time and two further charges against the accused Anderson were investigated. The first was that, on May 9th, 1906, he stole seven sheets of iron, valued at £1 Bs. from Alexander Speirs. >, Evidence was given by the latter, but the S. M. discovered that the . charge related to an offence more than six mouths old and it was therefore dismissed.

. Another charge against Anderson was then gone on with. It was that at the Manawatu Heads on June 12th last, he stole twelve sheets of iron, valued at 18s, from John Hall. He pleaded not guilty.

Hall said that he and accused occupied adjoining sections. He had arranged with Anderson to remove an iron shed for him, promising to give him certain fence posts and wires for his trouble. However, Anderson, so it was alleged, took possession of the iron as well —at least, it was found right up against his back door.

Constable Woods detailed a conversation he had had with accused respecting this matter, in the course of which Anderson admitted having taken the iron, but said he had not stolen it. The S.M. held that there was not sufficient proof for conviction, and dismissed the case.

Another charge of theft of eleven sheets of iron, on May 25th, from A. Speirs, was brought against Anderson, who pleaded not guilty. After lengthy evidence Anderson was sentenced to fourteen days imprisonment on this charge. Alex. McGlachan pleaded guilty to theft of 11 sheets of iron value £1 ys 6d. , . Mr limes asked for probation as accused had resided in Foxton for some time and had a good record. Probation was granted for six months and he was ordered to pay the costs.

John W. Anderson and A. McGlachan were charged with breaking and entering the premises of M. H. Walker, at Foxton, on 25th May, and with the theft of tobacco and cigarettes to the value of After hearing evidence the Magistrate said there was no sworn evidence given by the accomplice, and there was no other evidence against Anderson. He did not think it was a case to be sent before a jury, so the information would be dismissed. The accused McGlachan had partly admitted the offence, arid naturally there was a difficulty iu the case to determine which was the guilty person. McGlachan was committed to the Supreme Court for trial, bail being allowed self in /50 and two sureties of each.