WOMAN’S JEWEL THEFTS

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 625, 30 March 1929, Page 24

WOMAN’S JEWEL THEFTS

PROTECTED BY DOG RESCUE OF POLICE OFFICERS Discoveries alleged to have been j made by the police in a flat at Gloucester Terrace, Hyde Park, occupied l by Mrs. Hayes Williams, alias Doreen Bodley, a fashionably dressed woman of 35, were described in an extraordinary recital at Marylebone the other day. Mrs. Williams was charged with stealing jewellery, silk and other property valued at £64 15s, belonging to Mrs. Ellis Margaret Kelly, proprietress of a guest house ii* the terrace, and Mrs. Gabriel Melia, a guest. "£ didn’t give this woman bail before,” remarked the magistrate, “because she had the audacity to say that the police put the things ip her flat.” Evidence was given that Mrs. Williams took a four-roomed, self-con-tained flat at the guest-house at £3 10s a week. She described herself as the wife of Captain Bodley, courier, then in New York, and produced a bank draft of £42. Since then serious thefts had occurred in the house. Detective Richard Dennis, who effected the arrest, told how he and Detective Maskey searched accused’s flat. They found: In a sideboard drawer a cash-bag containing £3 in notes; in a hole under a cushion on the settee a white handkerchief with a blue border, and a pair of ] crepe de chine pyjamas, which were identified as the property of two of the guests; on the stairs behind the carpet a platinum and diamond ring, which was identified by the proprietress as hers, also a solitaire ring, identified as the property of Mrs. 1 Melia; under the stairs, behind an old, disused gas stove, a bundle containing a quantity of silk underclothing and a black handbag, in which were a lady’s gold wristlet watch, a necklace of fine pearls, a pink pearl necklace, an ear-ring, articles of silk and linen, and various other articles of jewellery, the whole of which were identified by Mrs. Melia as her property. When told where the property had! been found, Mrs. W’illiams replied, “I i deny that you found them in my flat ] j I have never seen the things before i I didn't expect you would have got into the flat, because of the dog What have you done with it? You must have put it there. I am innocent of the charges.” The Magistrate: Was there a dog there? Detective Dennis; Yes, a ferocious eliow. The police had extreme difficulty with the dog, and in the end had to have it removed bv a man who understood dogs. He caught it by means of a noose at the end of a long pole, and removed it to the dogs’ home. The Magistrate: They won’t destroy Detective Dennis: Oh. no, she will be able to claim it when she is free. In accused’s handbag the detective found a letter signed “Gordon,” and a key that was alleged to belong to j the proprietress. When these were I shown to Williams she said. “What about my money? I had £3 in notes

there when you took the bag.” The officer replied that that was impossible; there was no money in tb*> bag. “But I know it was,” accused retorted. “It must have been taken out ” Eventually she admitted that the money was that found in the drawer in her room. Evidence was given that, during the time Mrs. Williams had been in the house, she had been constantly seer on the stairs with her dog. One guest -spoke of a mysterious movement of the handle of her bedroom door, and said when the door was opened a figure disappeared down the stairs. Justine Garde, jeweller, of Gloucester Road. Earl’s Court, stated that just before Christmas Mrs. Williams tried to sell him two rings, saying she was in a very bad way, and hadn't a penny, though she was expecting money from America. He bought one —an old gold signet ring—for 4s. and had since melted it down. The Magistrate: You are a very useful man for thieves. Witness: Well, I didn't know: I only obliged her. In cross-examination witness said he was not aware that he had bought quite a lot of jewellery from Mrs. Williams. Accused was remanded.