EXCITING NIGHT

Southland Times, Issue 21091, 24 May 1930, Page 8

EXCITING NIGHT

A HAZY MEMORY

CAR “BORROWED” FOR PARTY

' CONFLICTING STORIES

(Special to the Times.) Dunedin, May 23

Stories totally different in fact were told in the Police Court this morning when an Oamaru man and a. young woman from Southland appeared on a charge of converting t 6 their own use, but not so as to be- guilty of theft, a motor car valued at £250, the property of George Francis Ayson. The names of the defendants were Janies Francis Molloy and Isobelle Murray. Molloy states that he was asked to accompany a party and that he knew nothing about the car. The other defendant however says that Molloy led her and other people to believe that the car was his own, and that he invited the party to use it. Mr 11. W. Bundle, S.M., was on the bench. Mr A. C. Neill appeared for Molloy and Mr B. S. Irwin for Mrs Murray. Both pleaded not guilty. - George Francis Ayson said that on the night of May 16 he left his car in the private parking area near the Public Trust building in Moray Place and when he returned for it on May 18, he found that it was dented and somewhat damaged. From what he was' told, he went to the City Hotel where he introduced himself to Molloy and told him that he believed he (Molloy) had taken out his car on the previous night. Molloy said he did not remember much of the happenings of the previous night. He said he was at a party with some ladies. Mrs Murray then joined them and she said that she had been out in a car and that she was under the impression that it was Molloy’s. Later Molloy produced the key of the car. Some time later witness’s solicitor received an offer of compensation from Mrs Murray.

William Robert Angel, taxi proprietor, said he saw the two defendants and another lady come from the City Hotel corner and as they passed him, he heard Molloy say, “No, let’s get a taxi.” /V few minutes later they went down to the parking station. Molloy seemed to be under the influence of liquor. Mri Neill said that Molloy was sitting m the lounge of the hotel and he saw the two ladies talking to two young men. Mrs Murray came over to him and invited him to go with them to a party. Molloy himself had (had some liquor and he dared say the ladies had also had some, Molloy could not drive a Dodge car. He had only driven a Fiat car, but had not driven at all for two years, and it would be unlikely that he would get into a car he did not know and drive away. That was borne out by the fact that the lady, without any hesitation, hopped into the car and drote away, and apparently drove expertly. They eventually arrived at some place called Essex House and later one- of the male members of the party suggested they should go to a bookshop which he evidently owned and they started nulling books off the shelves. Later they got back to town and apparently Molloy left them at the pie cart and went back to the hotel. _ He did not know what happened to the car or what the ladies did with it.

Mr Irwin said that Mrs Murray had divorced her husband, but still went under her married name. She came from Southland and was staying lor a day or two at the City Hotel at Dunedin. A young lady who was a friend of hers called to have dinner with her at the hotel and they made arrangements to meet two young men. Molloy 'overheard them making these arrangements, or else he came into the conversation, and he said he had it Dodge sedan car and suggested taking them in it to meet the other members of the party. They left the hotel with the intention of taking his car. Molloy agreed that it would be better for them to take a taxi, but when they got to the yard he pointed out. what he said was his car. It- was only on condition that Mrs -Murray drove that the party would go in the car. They drove off to the house of a Mr Cornelius at Caversham. He led Mr Cornelius to belies e that the car belonged to him. They collected the young fellows who were to make up the party. Owing to the rugged nature of the road up the Leith Valley, they had some mishap through the car striking a rut. Mrs Murray of course was a stranger to those parts. One ,01 the other men took the wheel and it was while endeavouring to get out of the trouble that he hit a post. Afterwards the party went to St. Clair and then took the two young men to their homes. . -•Isobelle Murray in evidence said that on Saturday evening she and a Miss Marshall were sitting in the lounge of the City Hotel preparatory to going out, and when they mentioned a taxi, Molloy offered to take them in his car. They went to the parking area where Molloy pointed out a car which witness offered to 'drive. After detailing the adventures' of the evening, witness stated that they all went back to the hotel together. Venesse Daisy -Marshall, who was with the defendant Murray on the night in question, corroborated Mrs Murray’s eviden jffie Magistrate said that the circumstances were very peculiar. Molloy appeared to be a man who was sodden with drink, and he did not know what he was doing on the night in question. The women stated that the suggestion to _ use Ayson s car came from Molloy and his Worship did not think that the women selected the. car. On the evidence he could find nothing that would justify him in holding Mrs Murray guilty of complicity with Molloy and the charge against her would therefore be dismissed. Molloy would however be convicted, but as the value of the damage to the.car would have to be assessed, the case against him would be adjourned for a week.