A CAREER OF CRIME.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXV, Issue 1112, 21 June 1913, Page 2

A CAREER OF CRIME.

At Wellington this week, James Henry Sergeant, alias James Geoffrey Graham pleaded guilty to the theft of a gold-mounted watch guard and various other articles of jewellery of a total value, of £5, the property of James Miller. The accused was also jointly charged with James Whitaker with the theft of various articles of jewellery, of a total value of from the dwellinghouse of Charles Jenkins, at . Levin. Both were remanded till next Wednesday on this charge. Referring to Sergeant’s plea of guilty on the first charge ChiefDetective Broberg said that on 30th May the accused went to rent a room at 10, Ingestre Street. On 2nd June Mr Miller, wko lived there, went away for a few hours, and on his return found that both the accused and tke jewellery were missing. Sergeant did not come hick. Continuing, the Chief; Detective said that on 9th June the accused was arrested on another charge, and amongst bis personal effects was a pawn ticket, the finding of which led to the recovery of Mr Miller’s missing property. Sergeant had a bad record. Some years ago he was brought before the Court at Auckland on thirteen charges of larceny and sentenced to seven years’ imprisonment. Then in 1908 he received five years for theft, and later on he was convicted and discharged at Palmerston North on a charge of vagrancy; He then went to the Foxton and Levin district, where for some time he worked in a flax mill.

The Magistrate (Mr W. G. Riddell, S.M.) sentenced Sergeant to three months’ imprisonment.

An order was made for the return of the stolen property to Mr Miller.

[Sergeant or Graham was a candidate for municipal honours at the recent local elections.]