ALLEGED BURGLARY.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19994, 11 January 1927, Page 2

ALLEGED BURGLARY.

SKIN WAREHOUSE ENTERED. AN AMENDED CHARGE. ACCUSED COMMITTED FOR 'TRIAL. Thomas James Outram, Arthur Henderson, and Albert Harris, who were previously remanded on a charge of having broken and entered the skin store of Turner Bros, on the night of December 6 and stolen skins valued at £lO/ 10s again appeared before Mr H. W. Bundle, 6.M., at the City Police Court yesterdav. Chief Detective Cameron asked leave to withdraw the charge against Uutram and Henderson, as he did not propose to offer any evidence against them. they, however, would give evidence m respect to Harris, against whom an am'endocl charge had been preferred. The charges a ■■dnst Henderson and Outram were dismissed accordingly, and Harris, was with having, on the night of December 6. broken and entered the premises of Joseph William Turner and another, and stolen therefrom 3cwt 131 b of rabbitskins, opossum skins, an opossum skin rug, and a silver manicure set, to the total value of 3111 Bs. Mr A. G. Neill appeared for Harris, and Chief Detective Cameron prosecuted on behalf of the police. Joseph William Turner, a partner in the firm of Turner Bros, wool and skin merchants. Rattray street, said that on December 6 ho left the store about 5 o’clock, when e rything was securely locked. In consequence of something he heard witness made an examination the next morning, and found that the goods mentioned in the charge were missing. He identified the articles produced as having been taken from his store. To Mr Neill ; Ho was sure the skins produced were his property, as it was extremely unlikely that there would be others similar to them in Dunedin, although it was possible there might have been. To Chief Detective Cameron: He had no doubt whatever as to the identity of the rug, the manicure set, and the opossum skins. George Thomas Turner, of the firm of Turner Bros., said he missed a quantity of skins and other property from his store on the morning of December 7, which had been there on the night previous. The skins and other articles on exhibition were undoubtedly the property of his firm. William Dowell ,a night watchman, stated that at five minutes past 3 on the morning of December 7 he found the doors of Turner Bros.' warehouse open and rabbitskins lying all over the floor. He had informed Mr Turner by telephone. Michael Thomas Kennelly. a wool and skin merchant, said that on the afternoon of December 22 a man called Henderson had called at his store and delivered seven bags of rabbitskins for sale. payment was made for them. Witness examined the skins, and thought he recognised some of them as those which had been described as missing from Turner Bros.’ store. He thereupon communicated with Mr Turner. , To Mr Neill; He did not see accused in connection with the skins. Andrew Heflderson, a licensed carrier, residing at North-East Valiev, said he recognised Harris as the man who had hailed him about Ll 5 p.m. on December 22 as he was coming up Rattray street. Witness had delivered a chain to the Mornington tram, and accused had then accompanied him to the house of a Mr Outram at Aotea street, Anderson’s Bay. where witness had picked up six or seven bags of rabbitskins. As they were coming past the overbridge on the way into town accused told him to take the skins to Mr Kennelly, and had then left witness’s wagon. Witness had then delivered the skins to Kennelly’s store. He had afterwards identified accused in a parade at the police station as the man who had engaged him to cart the skins * To Mr Neill: Ho did not know accused prior to December 22. He had not been told that the skins were at Ontram’s house, and for all he knew it might have been Harris’s own house, James Duncan, a saddler, m the employ of Edward Butler (Ltd.), Water street, said he knew both accused and the witness Henderson. A few days before Christmas he saw Henderson leave a chain in High street near the Mornington car terminus. Accused was in Henderson's express at the time. „ . ■ , Thomas Janies Outram, waterside worker, said he knew Harris, who sometimes worked on the wharf with him. On the night of December 6 accused had come to his house about 11 o'clock, and asked if he could leave some skins there. Witness consented, and accused then brought two or three sacks of skins into the kitchen, and said he would take them away on the following day. About a quarter to 2 on the morning of December 7 accused again came to witness b house accompanied by four other, men, two of whom witness knew as ‘ Curly amitn and Ernest Edwards. On this occasion more rabbit skins, soma opossum skins and a rug had been left, but Harris would not state where be got these articles, end then went away. Witness saw accused again the same morning on Dunedin 'wharf, and asked him when ne was going to shift the skins to which accused replied that they would be all right. The same evening he saw by the papers that Turner Bros.’ store had been entered, and becoming alarmed, he told Harris to take the skins away. They were, however, not removed until December 22, two sacks being left. These Witness had removed to a shed. To Mr Neill: He did not know how lus house had come to be picked as a repository for the skins, and although ho was a little suspicious when the second consignment came along he thought nothing of the first lot. He had put the skins into a backroom, and as far as he know the manicure set was among them. He did not know Henderson, and had no Idea who was coming to his house for the skins. He could offer no explanation as to why he had not informed the police that the skins were at his house. The Magistrate: You can consider yourself extremely fortunate, Outram, that you are not standing in the dock. His Worship then went on to order that this witness, owing to the unsatisfactory nature of his evidence, should not be allowed witness’s expenses. Detective Farquharson gave evidence as to accused’s arrest at Purakanui on Christmas Day. On having the charge read to him accused had vigorously denied haying had anything to <do with the theft. When first placed under arrest ho. became very nasty, whereupon one of his mates had pointed out that the detectives were only doing their duty. To. this accused replied that ho was not annoyed with the detectives but with' someone else. At this, one of his mates said, “That’s enough 1 Mum’s the word.” . Detective Beer gave evidence of haying on December 27 supervised the identification of Harris by the witness Henderson. Accused, through Mr Neill, pleaded not guilty, and reserved hia defence. He was committed fur trial at the next sitting of the Supreme Court, bail being allowed on bis own recognisance of £IOO and one surety of £IOO He was also ordered to report daily to the police.