KLEPTOMANIA.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 182, 23 July 1908, Page 2

KLEPTOMANIA.

YOUXCI WOMAX BEFORE THE COURT.

By Telegraph.—Press Association. Auckland, Last Night. At the Police Court this afternoon, before Mr. C. C. Kettle, S.M., a young woman named Kvelinc Senna was. charged with stealing a bell valued at 2s lid from the shop of Miss Billington on 27th dune last, and also a blouse length valued at Is lid, the property of Charles Histed. The evidence for" the prosecution showed that on 27th June last the accused went into Miss Billington's shop in Ponsonby road and asked to be shown a hat. On leaving the shop she put her hand on a table and took something which the complainant was unable to distinguish. Miss Billington then called her father, who went in pursuit of the girl, and on reaching her she threw down a small bell and ran away. While being pursued the accused slipped and fell, and Mr. Billington noticed a blouse length fall from her cloak. This material was identified by Mr. Histed as his property, which he had been showing to the accused in his shop. Mr.Skciton said the facts were admitted, but he urged that recent family trouWcs'had deranged the girl's mental' balance, leading her to commit ait act which she was (|uite unconscious of doing. The girl hod borne an excellent character, and had been employed in the one position for twelve years. The girl was a great sufferer, her mental balance having been affected. Dr. King said ■ that he examined the accused a couple of days after the alleged offences were committed, and found her suffering from hysterical mania. Looking at the whole of the circumstances, lie was of opinion that the girr liad lost her mental balance when she took the goods. The information was dismissed.