DRUNKEN FOLLY

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 918, 11 March 1930, Page 16

DRUNKEN FOLLY

HOW VALUABLE PLATINUM WATCH DISAPPEARED THEFT CHARGE DISMISSED When Thomas Percy Murray returned from a drinking bout with John Whaley Simpson at a house where Simpson was employed as a gardener, he found in his possession a valuable platinum watch. He made haste to return it to the owner but made the mistake of entrusting it to Simpson for return. Simpson pawned the watch for £1 and the result -was that both men appeared in the Police Court this morning, Simpson charged with receiving and Murray with theft. The charge against Murray was dismissed and Simpson was convicted and ordered to come up for sentence if called upon. Murray, a wharf labourer, aged 50, was charged with stealing a watch valued at £2O from Basil Roy Arnott on March 7. Mr. Noble appeared for him and entered a plea of not guilty. Simpson, a poultry farmer, aged 45, admitted receiving the watch. Arnott, a tobacconist, of Point Chevalier, said Simpson was in his employ as a gardener. Last Friday he and his wife had been absent from home. The watch was left in its usual place but was missed on the Saturday. Simpson had the right to enter the house. Simpson, stepping from the dock to the witness box, described Murray as a friend of many years’ standing. On Friday Murray had come out to visit him at Arnott’s. He had brought some liquor with him and was in the house. Witness had not given the watch to Murray nor taken it himself. On Saturday he had heard of the loss of the watch and went to Murray to ask for its return. Murray had given him the watch to take back to Arnott, but “I pledged it,” witness admitted. “We were both pretty drunk on Friday.” Acting-Detective Kemp produced a statement in which Murray said he had discovered the watch in his possession when he arrived home but did not know how he * got it. He had sent it back by Simpson in the morning. Both he and Murray had been a little drunk on Friday. There was little doubt that Murray had taken the watch, Mr. Noble admitted, but as soon as he came to his senses he took steps to return it. “This is his first appearance before the court,” counsel added. “That is what I wanted to know,” Mr. F. K. Hunt, S.M., put in. The charge was dismissed. Simpson was convicted and ordered to come up for sentence if called upon. He was also ordered to make restitution of £1 to the dealer. “Don’t drink so much; that’s your trouble,” was the magistrate’s advice to accused.