HIS NIGHT OUT

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 909, 28 February 1930, Page 1

HIS NIGHT OUT

ELDERLY MAN’S TAXI RIDE WITH WOMEN LOST WATCH AND CHAIN “And then I found that I had only two shillings left and my watclx and gold chain were missing,” concluded an elderly man at the Police Court this morning, after telling the story of his taxi ride with two women he had met in a City hotel. Elsie Babiqh, aged 31, and Annie Stokes, aged 47, were charged with being idle and disorderly, in that they consorted with people of undesirable character. Both women pleaded not guilty. Babich admitted a breach of her probation. According to Major Annie Gordon, probation officer, Babich had been put on probation for 12 months at Dunedin last April. She had done quite well up to Christmas, but lately had been drinking and loitering about Hobson Street. “Thomas Phillips Is the name I usually go by,” said the first witness. ‘‘l met these two women at an hotel yesterday, and they came with me in the taxi I had ordered to take me home. I don’t know whether I Invited them. I had money and a watch, gold chain and medal when I got in the taxi. When the women had left me the watch, chain and medal were gone, and I had only two shillings of my money left.” Smiling broadly, witness, who was an elderly man with a white beard, admitted that he had no idea where he had been or what time he had arrived home. WORST OF HER TYPE Constable Moore said he knew both accused. Babich did no work and frequented hotels and sly grog-shops. Stokes, whom witness had known for six or seven years, was one of the worst women of her type in Auckland. According to Detective Bowman, Babich had been in the habit of taking men to a house in Nelson Street. Both she and Stokes had frequented Hobson Street and Victoria Street, though Stokes had not been about so much lately. Stokes said she had been in the country, where her husband was working, but had come into the city yesterday to see her little girl. Warning Stokes to stay in the country with her husband, or she would get six months, Mr. F. K. Hunt, S.M., convicted accused and ordered her to come up for sentence when called upon. Of Babich, the chief-detective said she had done no work since her arrival in Auckland. She had come from Dunedin, where she had once been charged with attempted murder. Babich was sentenced to three months’ imprisonment. On the breach of probation charge accused was convicted and discharged.