FRIEND OF THIEVES

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 1055, 20 August 1930, Page 10

FRIEND OF THIEVES

AFTERMATH OF MISSING WALLET CHARGE AGAINST LABOURER .Because Louis Alfred Cordes lost his wallet in a City hotel on August 8, Trevor Cunningham, a taxi-driver, aged 30, appeared on a charge of assault and a further charge of stealing ... wallet, which contained pension certificates and 10s in money, of a total value of £l. Cunningham was represented by Air. .T. J. Sullivan. On the application of • hief-Detective Hammond, accused was remanded until Monday next, bail I cing renewed. Arising out of the same case, Cyril Wilfred Geary, a plasterer’s labourer, ced 32, was charged with being idle pel disorderly and consorting with reputed thieves. He pleaded not guilty through Mr. Brice Hart. Louis Alfred Cordes, an accountant, aid he went into an hotel on August x and saw Geary there. Another man h id asked witness to have a drink, but before the drinks were served there was a bit of jostling,” when witness was handled by the men. ■ A sort of ‘you’re a jolly good fellow’ jostling?” asked Chief-Detective Hammond. Witness agreed. Geary then left and within live minutes witne.es nmsed his wallet. Geary had not touched him. CONSORTED WITH THIEVES . .Detective Moon said he knew the accused. who had been working until June. 1030, when be had met with an accident. He had been drawing insurance ever since. Since then, Geary had been consorting with thieves and pickpockets and had not given up his bad •company when warned. Geary had later gone to Wellington with a reputed •thief. Acting-Detective Waterson. of Wellington, said that as the result of complaints he had kept Geary and another .man under observation in Wellington. They were seen hanging around talking to men in a half-drunken state and when Geary had been told to go back To Auckland he had disregarded the warning. Mr. Bryce Hart: I'll put Geary in the box and he will sa3 r that he has given up the company of these undesirables. Air. Hunt: Ye 3, when he's chased Geary, in evidence, said he was living with a brother in Auckland. Mr. Hunt: Why did you consort .with these thieves? Geary: One of them was a foreman under whom I worked on a job. Chief-Deteetiv© l-lammond: Isn't it a fact that you’ve been drinking steadily t-ince you met with your accident? you’re a confirmed drinker? “Well, I can drink like other men,” tsaid Geary. Air. Tlunt: You'll take out a prohibition order before I finish with you today. 'Well. I’m prepared to do that.” eaid Geary. To the chief-detective, he admitted That he had done a month for theft in 1924. Air. Hammond: You’ve been drink- * jng steadily and hanging around the Town until one and two o'clock in the mornings. "Why do the insurance people pay I:ini V” asked Mr, Hunt. “Goodness only knows,” said the chief-detective. Afr. Hunt said there was no doubt that Geary had keeping bad company. He convicted accused and ordered him to take out a prohibition «>rder and come up for sentence if tailed upon within 12 months.