TALE THAT WOULDN'T WASH

NZ Truth, Issue 1197, 8 November 1928, Page 11

TALE THAT WOULDN'T WASH

(From "N.Z. Truth's" Special Auckland Representative.). ANY excuse. is good enough for the old lag who makes a speciality of cracking cribs and spending the best part of his life m gaol. The unemployment problem as the basis for a good sob story for the benefit of a sentencing judge is being worked overtime these days, but a particularly bright effort to escape serious punishment, for his sins was put forward by John Graham when he faced Judge Blair for sentence on a charge of breaking and entering. With quite a catch m his voice, John told his tale well. . • "1 have tried to get work everywhere, your 'worship,' but I can't get it; nobody Will have me," he pleaded. His honor picked up a sheet of paper and perused it. "But you have a record— rlet me see (counting) you have no fewer than seventeen convictions for theft." , . ■ , i.- ,u'*i. •. Graham gulped hard. "Yes, your 'worship,' but I* have never derived one penny benefit from my thefts." The Judge: That is usually the position— you never get anything out of it; nobody ever does, for there is no money m it./ It is a bit late to tell me this, now. Evidently you are a man who is much happier in* gaol; you certainly have made it your business to get into prison quite a lot And then came the old soldier stuff from John. He gulped again and swallowed hard. "When we entered Epsom camp m 1914 they told us that all our past life Would be forgivenj" he urged almost tearful lyj j But the judge was prepared for every allowance being made for Graham. "Well," he asked, ''where would you like me to start m your listf 'fin 1920," was the response. The judge began checking up the list again. "But you. have had quite a number of convictions since 1920," he ; said. With that Graham gave it up as a bad job and said no more. y . • ■■■' But the judge did. "You are sentenced to two years' imprisonjhent and declared an habitual criminal," v were the final words of Pate that rang m Graham's ears as he disappeared, m the direction, ©f the prisoners' room., ■ . . .- , ■ ,;/.:;/■ : ■\" ■ •.:,•■; •;:..';' i ; i \.v;.\., /,.,,