A PAINFUL POSITION.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 189, 8 February 1912, Page 4

A PAINFUL POSITION.

STOLEN C4OODS IN INNOCENT MAN'S BAG. By Telegraph—Pree» Association. Auckland, Wednesday. An extraordinary case occupied the attention of Mr..E. C. Cutten, 5.M.,. in the Police/Court to-day, when ,Tames Seaton Reid was proved innocent of of theft levelled against him. The charge was that Reid stole. £3 15s in money and lib. of tobacco, the property of A. P. Duff. Senior-Sergeant Mackinnon stated that on Sunday, last the complainant left the Criterion Hotel for a day on the water. Reid was in the same hotel, and next morning the complainant got Sergeant Ramsay to search the accused's room. A portion of the lost tobacco, in a piece of paper, was found in the accused's portmanteau. Sergeant Ramsay said that when Reid was shown the tobacco in his portmanteau he showed real surprise. He also stoutly protested his innocence, and declared that someone must have put the tobacco in his hag to throw suspicion on him. Reid stated that he was the manager of a wine business, where he had been employed for the last eight years. On •Sunday last he was with Mr. H. W. Wilding, and never went neaT the complainant's room. A quantity of evidence was given regarding the accused's high character. > Mr. Cutten said he had no hesitation in j-fifusing* to commit the accused for fftel. He was perfectly satisfied that Reid's explanation* was correct, and that : someone had been guilty of a mean and despicable act by placing the tobacco in his bag 7 The accused was discharged, Mr. Cutten stating that he had his extreme sympathy in the painfull position in which he had been placed.