MISSING HORSE

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 868, 11 January 1930, Page 10

MISSING HORSE

SUGGESTION OF “BOILING DOWN” GAOL FOR THREE MONTHS An unfortunate lapse of memory resulted in William Maurice Criumins being sentenced to three months imprisonment by Mr. F. K. Hunt, S.M, at the Police Court this morning Crimmins borrowed a horse and car; for a day, but forgot to return them Described as a labourer, aged 36. Crimmins was charged with converting to his own use on November 22 a horse, cart and harness of a total value of £2O, the property of Georr Clark. Mr. Noble entered a plea o: not. guilty for accused. “Have you got the horse, or was it boiled down?” asked the magistrate. Chief-Detective Hammond: We haven't got it yet. George Clark described himself as a marine dealer. He was acquainted with Crimmins, who occasionally brought him loads of produce. November 22 the man had borrowed* horse and cart, saying that he had a load to pick up. Witness had nor seen. Crimmins since. The cart and harness had been discovered in a gully off Richmond Road, but there was no sign of the horse. The findißS of the cart was a month after it dm been borrowed by Crimmins. In the course of a long examination of witness, Mr. Noble asked h® whether perhaps the horse had been running at the holiday races. Witness: I don’t know, but it is » old horse. I value it at £d. Mr. Noble’s explanation was Crimmins had returned the horse a ?. cart to the stable on the day that borrowed it. The man at the st- - told him to leave the outfit m * vacant section, assuring him tna * would be quite all right, so had left it at Richmond Road. suggestion that the man had o down the horse was quite Counsel gave it as his opinion that affair should really have been subject of a civil claim. 9 “The man is a darned nuisance, commented the chief-detective, is a horse dealer.” Crimmins was sentenced to months’ imprisonment, but the « had to be reduced to three that was the maximum punishme that could be imposed on the enm<• “He should have been charged theft,” said the magistrate.