CHARGE OF THEFT.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 2471, 24 August 1922, Page 3

CHARGE OF THEFT.

ACCUSED PLEADS GUILTY. COMMITTED FOR SENTENCE. At tlie local police court yesterday, before Messrs Perreau and Robertson, 'J’s.P., Robert Brown, with a number of aliases and previous convictions, was . charged with the theft at Foxton, on May 30th last, of a umber of articles, to the value of £27 and £4 3s in cash, the property of Wilfred Frank McDonald. The accused was arrested on warrant at Feat hers ton and appeared at Palnierston on Wednesday week and was remanded to Foxton. Wilfred Frank Macdonald in evidence said he was boarding at Whyte’s "Hotel on the 30th of May. Visited his room at about 10 p.m. orf the 30th May and discovered a heavy overcoat and a Stetson hat missing. Later in the evening he found other property missing, namely, pair of trousers, coat, waistcoat, working hat, trinket box containnig fountain pen, etc. There was no silver in tlie trinket box. He also lost a- cheque book and several other papers and' about four single notes in one of the poor kets and some odd silver and small round military hair-brush and nic-kel-plated mirror. A watch with “L. Page” scratched on the back was also missed. Witness-reported the matter to the police the following day. On the game day witness saw accused in the back yard and accused asked/or work. The property produced he identified as his and valued -same at about £25. -The door of' his room was closed but not locked. It is quitq easy for a to walk into the bedroom from the back yard. , The only articles unrecovered are the money and the cheque book. Darcy Ball, hairdresser and tobacconist, gave evidence that at 4.50 p.m. on May 30th, accused came to his saloon for a shave. He was wearing an over-coat and hat. described,as the property of Macdonald. Recused offered witness a fountain pen for a shilling which he gave him. Accused said lie had been drinking and wanted the money for a feed. 'Accused offered witness several other articles which he identified as produced. Alexander David Watson, fish hawker, gave evidence that on the morning in question he met accused on the Shannon road and gave him a ride to Shannon; Accusedoffered to pay for the ride and took some pound notes and silver from his pocket. Accused said that his swag Had been locked up in a blacksmith’s shop overnight - anil that he had slept in a shed. On the journey to Shannon accused told. witness about the robbery "which witness had not heard of previously. Constable O’Donogkue gave evidence as to meeting the accused in .Main Street on May 30th at 0 p.m. Tie accosted witness and stated that he had come from Hawke’s Bay and that his name Avas Robert ■ Thompson. Accused avus then slightly under the influence of liquor. At the time Avitness was in plain clothes and did not see him* again that day. The folloA\ r ing day in company with Constable Otven, witness met accused' in Union Street. In reply to questions, accused said he had slept the previous night in a Avhare on the left hand side of the Shannon road, about a mile from Foxton. Accused said his SAvag was in the blacksmith’s shop. Accompanied accused to the blacksmith’s shop and 1 saw the swag. Informed accused that a theft had been committed at Whyte’s Hotel. Accused denied having committed the theft 'and then said his correct name Avas Robert BroAvn. Accused then proceeded in the direction of Shannon. Later in the day intervieAved Darcy Ball and recovered the fountain pen produced as part of Macdonald’s missing property. William David Neville, engine driver, stated that on the day in question at about 9 p.m. the "accused came into the engine shed and asked for a shake-down for the night. He had no SAvag with him but said he had left it at the blacksmith’s shop. Accused Avas AA'earing the clothes produced. During the night accused offered to sell witness the overcoat for £2 which he declined. Accused also shoAved him several of the articles produced which he offered to sell. Accused remained at the engine house until 1 a.in. Avhen Avitness left. Was informed by bis mate that accused left the engine house at 5.30 a.m. ' Joseph Henry Parfitt, blacksmith, employed at Cresswell’s, Foxton, gave e\ r idence that at about 10 a.m. on May 30th he saw a strange man come into the shop carrying a swag. He left the SAvag there to go and look for a job. He did not return for.the swag when witness locked qp at 5 p.m. Witness identified the accused as the man in question. On the folloAving. morning accused called for the SAvag and Avent off toAvards Shannon. A little Avhile after accused left the shop Avitness Avent to the footpath in .front of the shop and found the trinket box (produced) lying on the end of a culvert. The box contained a railway ticket and a piece of writing paper. Handed tlie property to the police. Had no idea bow it came to be left on the culvert. Constable OAven gave evidence as to interv’ieAving tlie accused in company with Constable O’Donoghue in Union Street. Accused was coming from the direction of Shannon. Accused said be had slept the previous night in a whare about a mile along the Shannon road and found rolled up in a parcel the overcoat, Stet-

son hat, mirror, pipe, hair brush and spectacles produced. These articles have since been identified by Mr Macdonald as his property. The accused was arrested at Featherston on Avarrant. Accused pleaded guilty and was committed to the Supreme Court, Wellington, for sentence.