LOST HIS WALLET

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 1059, 25 August 1930, Page 1

LOST HIS WALLET

STORY OF JOSTLING IN HOTEL BAR • TAXI DRIVER CHARGED The story of a “jostle” in an hotel bar and the subsequent disappearance of a wallet from the coat pocket of one man was told to Mr. F. K. Hunt, S.M., at the Police Court today when Trevor Cunningham, a taxidriver, aged 30, faced two serious charges. Cunningham was charged with, on August 8, assaulting Louis Alfred Cordes and further, on the same date, with stealing a wallet containing pension certificates and 10s in cash, of a total value of £l. After evidence had been heard, accused, through Mr. J. J. Sullivan, pleaded not guilty to both charges and was committed to the Supreme Court for trial. He reserved his defence. Henry Ibbotson gave evidence as to finding the wallet on the first floor of a building in the Strand Arcade and handing it to the police. According to Louis Alfred Cordes. an accountant, on Friday, August 8, he went into the public bar of a City hotel to pick up a parcel he had left with the barman. On his way out he was accosted by accused, who was in the company of three other men and urged him to “come and have a drink, old sport.” HANDLED WITNESS “At the same time Cunningham made a few rapid passes with his hands and placed his right hand on my left shoulder,” said witness. "He then said, ’Up she goes,’ and I had a half-handle at the bar, paid for by somebody I do not know.” Witness then left the hotel, and after going a few paces, missed his wallet containing 10s in cash, a military pension certificate and a military discharge. He went back to the bar, but Cunningham had disappeared, and after telling two of the party who were still there that he had lost his wallet, witness went out to look for accused. Being unsuccessful, he returned to the bar and told the other two men that he would see about the loss. "Then I went out into Queen Street again,” said Cordes. “I saw Cunningham standing in the roadway and I told him about the missing wallet.” WHAT’S THE JOKE? Witness said to Cunningham, "What's the joke?” Cunningham said, "Are you accusing me of taking your wallet?” Witness replied that all he knew was that he had lost it and he was sure that accused knew something about it. They both went back to the bar .where Cunningham denied any knowledge of the theft, in front of the other two men, and then left, closely followed by witness.

“I said I wanted to see about it,” said Cordes. “I saw a friend of mine on the street and asked him to get a policeman. While h ewas away Cunningham said to me, ‘Come up here with me and I’ll get you your wallet.’ 1 said I wouldn’t go with him alone.” The policeman arrived and both men were taken to the station and questioned by the sergeant. While in the waiting-room with witness accused said, “If you don’t say anything about this I’ll guarantee to get your wallet back with a couple of quid to the good.” Witness said he could tell that to the constable. Statements were taken from both men and Cunningham gave his name to the police as Jack Cummings, though he signed the statement correctly. To Mr. Sullivan: I did not lay a charge against accused at the station because the police did not ask me to. I merely gave information. David Mclntyre, a friend of Cordes, who went for the police, gave corroborative evidence. Constable Maekrell, who took the men to the station, said accused denied any knowledge of the theft. According to Constable McElhiney, who took a statement from accused at the station, Cunningham had given ■ the name of Cummings, hut had corrected it fcafore signing. Accused was committed to the Supreme Court for trial, bail of £IOO being allowed.