FAR TOO SLICK AT THE VANISHING TRICK

NZ Truth, Issue 1187, 30 August 1928, Page 8

FAR TOO SLICK AT THE VANISHING TRICK

BUT probably . the lesser of three necessary evils is plain Mr. Wrong- . doer himself. His mistake often takes him to the mezzanine floor of culpability — cracking the. stones between the two professional extremes. 1 George Wells, it was said, just made a little mistake over a couple of bags, the legal price of expiation being three months among the perpetrators of other social mistakes. It should never be forgotten that the thief who eludes Detective A. B. Meiklejohn is a slick citizen; but about this affair of George Wells. According to his counsel, George was quite a. decent sort of chap who innocently, unconsciously, albeit a little, shall we say forgetfully, took somebody else's luggage. Then up spake Detective Meiklejohn as he handed a piece of paper up to Magistrate R. W. Tate. It was George's testimonial and t it disclosed that he was such a nice fellow that His Majesty had, on many occasions insisted on his being a guest at the Crown's lavish hand at Wellington, Christchurch and. Auckland. The last visit commenced at Auckland on September 5 and lasted three months. George had apparently made an m

GEORGE'S TAKING WAY — An Innocent Mistake Brings A Heap of Trouble BUT ANY SUITCASE SUITS HIM (From "N.Z. Truth's" New Plymouth Representative.) There is a new chapter to the book of " mistakes. " Popular quip has it that a doctor's mistake lies six feet underground and a lawyer's mistake hangs, six feet above ground. Perhaps that is so.

nocent little mistake there, too, it seems. Having just come m from a job at Opunake, he left his bag at the select Terminus Hotel while he engaged .a service-car for Hawera. J. L. Fin cham arrived at the hotel about 3 p.m. "Is there a man liere for Hawera?" he asked as he poked his head m the private bar. "Yes, I am," said George, coming out into the passage. "Any luggage?" inquired Fincham. "Yes," said George, pointing to two bags under the stairs. A suit-case and a portmanteau were taken out to the waiting car by the driver and placed m the rear carrier. Wells settled himself comfort- ■ ably m the seat and 'inquired if he could g : et through to Wellington the same day. There was no chance, he was told. On arriving at the Criterion Garage, Hawera, Wells was given permission to leave his luggage m the carrier-box while he looked for lodgings. Fincham went home, to tea. The second act began with the appearance of Detective Meiklejohn at the Terminus Hotel, New Plymouth. Mrs. Kathleen Annie Meredith and her husband had just moved m to take over, the license that day, June 25. At 7.30 a.m. she left her two bags under the stairs, but they had vanished when she wanted some clothes for the children at 4.30 p.m. , Besides the clothing m the portmanteau there was a casket containing a wristlet watch, a diamond ring, a* p"air of ear-rings, a pearl necklace, and' a mounted sovereign. . ;%

Baggage Comedy

She found a bag similar to her own under a table near the stairway, but it was not hers. Detective Meiklejohn opened the apparently ownerless portmanteau, but found nothing but old clothes, boots and photos. Even Sherlock would have been at a loss with this and our sleuth could discover nothing connecting the photo's or clothes with Wells, he told the court. But through one of those mysterious workings of the "analytical brain" (good phrase, that), a telephone message was sent to Hawera. Fine-ham rang the garage and gave instruction that the bags were to be taken fi*om the car and placed m the office pending his arrival. George H. Reading, a garage attendant, shifted the luggage. Wells returned about 6.45 p.m. and asked for his "two bags." Now G.H.R. had a humorous streak. He almost took Georgie by the hand as he led him over to the car. But the cupboard was bare. George was advised to wait until the rlriver came down but he left the building to return a few minutes later. again to ask for his bags, as he wanted to 50 to Te Kiri. Just then, Constable Thomason and Fincham arrived. The bags were produced. ■ ■ . "That suitcase isn't mine," said George/ "but the other is. It has my name on it." The officer saw that there was a tag with another name on it, and said so. George was bothered if he knew how the other name had. come there but was still quite certain that it was his.

Two days later, Detective Meiklejohn had to interview Wells about another matter. Wells kept referring to the charge against, him concerning the bags. He said he had told the driver at the hotel to get his luggage, but evaded answering the question why he had. asked for two bags at Hawera instead of one. "On the evidence, this is one of the weakest allegations of theft m which I have ever been retained on behalf of an accused," said Lawyer A. A. Bennett, as he opened the bombardment. A . bona fide belief that the goods removed on his behalf, was an absolute ■answer by an accused person and removal of property by mistake was surely not theft? Wells had been very open about the matter from beginning to end. Counsel suggested it was significant that one witness only, had said Wells asked for "two bags" instead of his "luggage." Reading might easily have been mistaken for the two terms would be closely associated. Another point m Wells' favor was that he had not actually handled the luggage m its transit from New Plymouth to Hawera. The taxi-man might have been mistaken m the instructions given him. ' Magistrate Tate thought it was Qeorge Wells who made -the mistake, however. The sentence was three months' imprisonment.