SNEAK THIEF

NZ Truth, Issue 1108, 24 February 1927, Page 7

SNEAK THIEF

Blue Coat Schoolboy Makes A Bad Start (From "N.Z. Truth's" Special Christchurch Rep.) There is at least one pupil of the famous Blue Coat school of England whose name will not figure on the scholastic escutcheon as one to be esteemed. THAT is the name of Cecil John Edmonds, a youth of 20, who came out to' New Zealand under the English public schools Immigration scheme. Edmonds — a mean sneak thief — stole from men who had befriended him while he was down and out. He received a slating from the bench and was ordered to come up for sentence within six months if called; upon. Since arriving m the Dorriinion Edmonds has been a jack-of-all trades. He ./started off by . helping to instal milking machines. At this . job he broke, three ribs and then took on a job with a spring-cleaning plant. While the Exhibition was on he , was working there m the side . shows, but when the big fair ended he once more joined the ranks of the unemployed. , While 'in' a state of impecuniosity and thoroughly, down on his luck he wandered into Waikouiti, where he met \two ■ men named Clark and Young. They befriended him and arranged that he should spend the week-end at the boarding-house where they were staying. '' • : ■i ... Edmonds did- so arid leaving on the' Monday morning he tendered the landlady a ten-shilling note, remarking that it was all he had and that he did not know where the next money was coming from. She, good soul, out of consideration for the fact that he was a friends of Young's, told him not to -V bother; -r : ■ -v"-' Edmonds pocketed the note and went out and bought some' clothes and a railway ticket. . And then while his benefactors were away at work he sneaked back to their room and helped himself to clothes and money to the value 'of £14/13/-. He came to Christchurch, where he was arrested. Lawyer Lascelles, having outlined the hard row that Edmonds has had to hoe m New Zealand, urged that what was wanted for him was regular work and a fresh start. ■ • "I ask your worship to allow the Blue Coat traditions to help him , before he changes his coat altogether," pleaded counsel. / Remarking that a term of imprisonment would be a good thirig for the young man, the magistrate, asked Chief Detective Lewis what was known previously against him. The chief detective said nothing was known against him, but he produced some letters which Edmonds had written and left at the house of a young lady of his acquaintance. The epistles related to alleged burglaries, and his idea was that he did not want the girl and resorted to this trick m order to cause her to have a bad opinion of him and thus leave him alone. "■•-,-•'''■ Hearkening to the /plea of Major Barnes, of the Salvation Army, that Edmonds be sent to the Army Home instead of to gaol, the bench convicted him and ordered him to remain m the care of the Salvation Airmy for a period of not less than three of the six months. He was ordered to repay the money.