STEALING A DETECTIVE'S HAT.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2213, 21 April 1880, Page 2

STEALING A DETECTIVE'S HAT.

At the Dunedin Police Court on Monday, Jonathan Bangrovc was charged with stealing a hat of the value of 10s, the property of Alexander Henderson. He admitted having taken the hat, but denied that he had done so with a felonious intent. Detective Henderson deposed that he was on duty at the Supreme Court, on Saturday afternoon last. The hat now produced he placed on a peg at the back of the jury-box at 2 o’clock, and soon after ho

observed the prisoner standing behind the jury-box apparently talcing notes. At 4 o’clock he missed the hat, and at 9 o’clock, when the court was cleared, he found an old drab hat unclaimed. From the suspicious manner of the prisoner when in the courthouse, witness suspected him, and after a search found him at 11 o'clock wearing his (witness’s) hat. prisoner: I asked you what you were doing there. You told me you were taking notes ; but you only wrote some three lines the whole time you were there. — Michael Cox gave evidence that the old drab hat lying unclaimed on Saturday night belonged to the prisoner.— Prisoner asked for an opportunity of calling as an evidence of previous character Mr Nichols, of the Daily “Times” office, who had known him as a reputable and honest member of the Victorian Press. He had only arrived here by the Arawata last week in search of employment. His object in going where he did was to get some particulars of a case of so remarkable a character to send to an up-country paper in Victoria, and the taking of the detective’s Latin place of bis own was purely a mistake. This was simply an unvarnished tale of the matter ; and in proof of the truth of his assertions, he could only point out that when arrested he was wearing the hat, which did not look as though he had stolen it. —Detective Henderson, recalled, said that prisoner smelt of drink when arrested, but he was perfectly sensible.— His Worship : You will require to bring witnesses to character. Of course I can only remand you for that purpose. One is a black hat, the other a drab hat —the one a good hat, the other an old one — and I cannot understand, how, if sober, you could have been mistaken. You might have been deceived in color, but the sizes are so different. —Inspector Mallard mentioned that he had seen Mr Nichols, who had informed him that he knew the prisoner •and was not aware of anything against him.—His Worship : It appears likewise, prisoner, that you were in a privileged part of the Court-house, where you had no right to be. —Prisoner: I made application for permission. I mentioned to some officers of the Court that I was sending some particulars to an upcountry paper in Victoria, and thus gained admission.—On the Court resuming in the afternoon Mr Nichols said that ho had known prisoner nine years ago, and that he •was then on a paper at Maryborough. Witness had always looked upon him as a highly respectable man. —His Worship said that ho was bound to convict. As accused was a newcomer and the offence trifling, he would be convicted and discharged.—“ Star.”