TROUSSEAU STOLEN.

Shannon News, 26 August 1924, Page 2

TROUSSEAU STOLEN.

BRIDE’S UNPLEASANT SHOCKA mean theft lias just been reported to tiie Sydney police (wrote the JNew Zealand Herald correspondent on Juiy ■2l). while a. bride was being married at a church a thief nroke into her parents’ residence and stole all her clothing, including her trousseau ana her wedding presents.The bride was Miss Vera Williams, and she lived with her parents-* at Chatswood. Her husband, Mr William Worthington, is ah electrical engines, and came from Cairns, Queensland, to be married. Most oi the members of the bridal party dressed at the cottage at Chatswood, the last car to leave containing the bride." It was then five minutes past seven, and the cottage, which is in a quiet street, was a ‘gift’ for a burglar. t The bride’s trousseau, worth intrin- - sically £l3O, was packed ready in her bedroom. Wedding presents valued at more than £IOO were --displayed in the dining-room a-rid in the other bedrooms were valuable frocks belonging to the other ladies of the household, purses containing large amounts of money, watches and chains,, left there by the men when they changed hurriedly—sufficient selection to satisfy the most fastidious burglar. The wedding at the local church went off without a hitch, and the breakfast, which was held in the Chatswood Masonic Hall, lasted until To -P-m., the bride and bridegroom returning with the family to take their belongings and repair to a hotel in the city. But they found the cottage had been entered- by smashing-a window with a mattock, and that a thief had concentrated on the clothes and effects belonging to Mrs Worthington. Every stitch of the trousseau was gone, and even the old clothes she had discarded had been taken. Many.of the wed-, ding presents, clothing, money and rings were also taken, and Mrs Worthington returned to find that the only , dress she could call her own was the wedding garment. The doors were open and the lights switched on, giving evidence that the thief made a hurried exit. Neighbours stated that the lights were turned on about half an hour after the bride left," but they attached no significance to the fact, or to the frantic barking of the dog. Burglary was the last thought to enter their minds.