MIND YOUR POCKETS.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 2, Issue 154, 16 December 1913, Page 3

MIND YOUR POCKETS.

When You go to Town. In the Magistrate's Court, AuckLland, before Mr Cutten, S.M., George Thorpe (29) was charged that on Saturday week, he stole from the person of G. R. Tapper a purse containing £5. George Arthur Tapper, of Tuakau, said that at 11 a.m. on Saturday . week he went to the. Hobson wharf in order to proceed to the Takapuna races. When he was at the ticket box he felt someone push rudely against him on the left-hand side. He at once turned round and felt a man's hand in his pocket. There were only two men on his' left, the accused and another man, and it was accused whose hand was in witness' pocket. The other man was pushing behind accused. Witness at once felt in his trousers pocket, and found that his purse was gone. There were only about eight people round the ticket box. Witness caught accused by the coat and pulled him back, saying, " You've got my purse." There was no policeman bandy, and accused jerked himself x free, and walked up the wharf past X the ticket-collector, so that he must have bad a ticket prior to the incident at the ticket-box. The other man who was shoving up against accused didn't stop to get a ticket when witness caught hold of accused, but a moment later turned and walked away. Witness did not see anything pass between the two men, but he followed accused and gave him in charge of a constable at the foot of the gang-plank at the ferry noat. There was no purse on him then. Witness' purse had contained four sovereigns, two halfsovereigns, and two or three shillings in silver. Accused, when witness caught hold of him, seemetl too confused to say anything at first, and then ho said, " You ought to be ashamed of yourself, accusing me of taking your purse." Hugh Kelly, contractor, of \ Hobsonville, said he saw the inci--7 dent at the tioket-box, and stated that accused remarked, " You may search me," when Tapper caught him by the coat. There was another young man present at the time, hut witness did not see anything passed to him. Constable Adam stated that accused took the arrest quietly at first, but later became very indignant. Accused, who pleaded " Not guilty" was committed lor trial, bail being fixed at two sureties of