ALLEGED BURGLARY.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 2149, 13 July 1920, Page 3

ALLEGED BURGLARY.

MIDDLE-AGED MAN CHARGED,

A middle-aged man, John William AlcClure, appeared at Him Magistrate’s Court, Palmerston North, yesterday morning, charged with, on or about April Ist, 1920, breaking and entering .the promises of Lauclilan and Co., jewellers, Palmerston North. Accused was not represented by counsel. Detective-Sergeant Quirke, who conducted the prose-

cation, stated that accused was arrested at Auckland some weeks‘ago on other charges, and silverware and fancy goods (produced) were found in his possession.

Horace Ireland, manager for Lauchlan and Co., gave evidence to the effect that he locked both the upstairs and downstairs doors on April lst, : and on returning next morning found both doors forced and goods to the value of £lßl missing. A. E. A. Eredriclc, clerk at tlni Palmerston North Post Office, produced two parcels, one addressed to “J. Martin McLean, carpenter, Post Office, Petone,” and the other to “J. W. M. Phillips, carpenter’, Johnsonville,” and gave evidence that the parcels had been received by their office from the G.P.0., Auckland. On being opened the parcel addressed fo McLean, was found to contain one dozen o.p. forks. The second parcel contained a large assortment of silverware, wris'tlet watches, etc., all of which was identified as the goods stolen from Lauchlin’s by means of the tickets, which were still attached, by Mr Ireland (manager), Miss Ivy Rose Martin, shop assistant, and Mr M. Zeiueil, recently employed by the linn.

Plain-clothes Constable Knight, stationed at Auckland, gave evidence that when accused was arrested at Auckland on April 23rd there wore found in his possession a silver cigarette case, one purse, and two left luggage tickets. On April 20th he secured from the Auckland luggage office two parcels, one of which contained jewellery. On May 11th he found in a room a suit case containing clothing, which accused pleaded guilty to stealing from the Crown Clothing Company, Auckland. Among this clothing was. a quantity of the silverware produced. After reviewing the property he approached the accused lo obtain a signed order to have the goods delivered, to which accused refused, and asked to be shown a list of articles contained in the two parcels produced in Court. Hs showed accused the list, and accused said: “I did not think I had as much of the Palmerston Norl;h stuff left as that, as I did not lake a list when I polled the goods. lam glad you recovered the stuff, as it would only have wasted while 1 was in gaol. 1 have sold quite a quantity of Ibis gear, and did not think 1 had more than Jive watches left.”

Accused, who reserved his defence, and pleaded not guilty, was committed to the Supreme Court for trial. Bail was not sought.