CHARGE OF THEFT.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 179, 27 January 1912, Page 2

CHARGE OF THEFT.

COMMITTED FOR TRIAL. At the Magistrate's Court yesterday, before Mr. 11. S. Fitzherbert, S.M., Walter James'Ross was brought up on remand, charged with stealing clothes from Mr. Herman Brown's place, during his absence. Senior-Sergeant Haddrell outlined the case, and called Constable O'Neill, who said he arrested the accused on board the Rarawa at 8.15 p.m. on the 22nd inst., telling him he was charged with the theft of clothing belonging to Mrs. Herman Brown, of Fitzroy. He then handed him over to De-tective-Sergeant Boddam. Mrs. Herman Brown stated she was living on the Old Hospital road, in a house situated some distance oil the road. There were a stable and an outhouse a little distance away. On January 16 she and her husband went to Waitara. The outhouses were securely fastened, where there were boxes of household goods stored. She returned about 7.30, and noticed the front gate was opened. On going into the seed room she found two boxes had been disturbed, and noticed the following articles were missing:—Dress suit, silver candlestick, painted cushion, damask tablecloth, one dozen serviettes, .silk blouse, silk drape, linen bed cover, also other articles, valued at £l9 10s. The contents of the box were upset. Witness identified some of the articles (produced). After the articles were missed, she next saw them at the police station. The candlestick and some other things were still missing. Harry Pearce, a laborer, said he was working for Mr. Herman Brown, at the Old 'Hospital road, and living at Fitzroy. He remembered being in New Plymouth on the 16th and saw the accused in the main street in a gig, in which he was driving. Accused asked him to go for a drive. .He got in, and they went all round the town, had a drink, and then drove out to the Old Hospital road. They went as far as Mr. Brown's place, but he did not know who lived there at that time. Witness sat in the gig, and accused went to the house to do his business. He did not say what the business was. Witness could not see what became of him when he went to the house. .He returned to the gig, saying there was ho one at home, and they returned to town. He never brought anything out as far as witness could see. Went to Mrs. Tweedale's, a second-hand shop, and accused handed him a coat, saying he wanted to sell it. Witness and he went »nto the shop, but Mrs. Tweedale said she did not want the coat; and did not take it. The coat was left there by accused. Witness understood the parcel consisted only 6f the coat. After leaving Tweedale's they drove round the town and went to the Old 'Hospital road again, as the accused said he wanted to see the people. Accused went to the house and there was no one at home. He then went into the outhouse, and when he came out lie had a sack partly filled. They then drove to Waitara. Witness had no idea ofithe contents of the sack. They drove back to Fitzroy together. The! last he saw of the sack was at Waitara. Witness was not sober or drunk. Accused had had a "few drinks, but he could drive all right. Accused set witness down at Te Ilenui. Mrs. Tweedale, wife of William Tweedale, said she remembered the 16th January, when the two men went to her tp sell clothes. Tl;e last witness asked her to buy them, but she declined. Both the men asked for a few shillings, but did not get anything, and then they went away, leaving the clothes. The men were under the influence of drink, but not drunk. Witness handed the coat and vest over to Detective-Sergeant Boddam. Detective-Sergeant' Boddam said that on January 22 the accused man was brought to the office by Constable O'Neill at 8.30 a.m. He told him he was chargedon a warrant of -theft of the articles before mentioned. He told the accused the clothes had been handed to him by Mrs.-Tweedale, and. had been identified by Mr. Herman Browa as his property. The accused said: "That's the coat and vest, is it?" Witness said, "Yes." Accused said he had a sack with some of the other articles in near the cliff in proximity to the East End bathing shed. Accused said'lie was not sure what the sack contained, as lie had been drinking. Early on the following morning,. with Constable O'Neill, he went with accused m the vicinity of the East End bathing shed, and amongst . some high . fennel found the articles now produced. They were wet and sodden, and the tablecloth had a burnt hole in it. Accused pleaded not guilty, and asked for bail, reserving his defence. ' He was committed for trial at the Supreme Court on March 5, and bail was allowed in his own recognisance of £SO and two sureties of £SO each.