A LADY BURGLAR.

Taranaki Daily News, 3 August 1916, Page 6

A LADY BURGLAR.

LIVED UNDER i HOUSE. * WOMAN OP ECCENTRICITIES. Auckland, July 31. A "lady burglar" who was caught in the act of entering Braemar boa-ding-houso in Eden Crescent at midnight last Friday week was broughi before Mr. F. V. Frazcr, S.M., this morning, on charges of breaking and entering, and of having stolen a lady's overcoat, five spoons, a knife, a boot brush and a packet of candles. There wfls also an alternative chaige against her that she was found on private premises by night without lawful excuse.

The woman. Jessie Jacobs, aged 37 years, kept her face covered by her hands and declined to speak a word, indicating ncr plea of "guilty" by nodding her bead, and her desire to say nothing by shaking her bead. In relating the woman's history. SubTr.spoetov Jlcllvonev stated tiiat she was n decidedly eccentric subject. In October, 1014, she made a ''nest" in some long and* weeds in the Domain, and lived there for some time, going out at nights to laid the larders of boardinghouses and other places in the vicinity to provide herself with means of subsistence. When caught then she was sent to the Salvation Army Home for twelve months, and after that she went to the Rotorua district. Since then she bad returned to the city, and had done domestic work in several boardinghouses. Recently she had got out of work, and then thefts occurred in boardinghonses in the vicinity of Eden Crescent. In consequence Constables Trotter and Wallingtou kept watch, and at midnight a fortnight ago they saw her climb up the verandah of Braemar House and enter through a window. She was followed by Constable Tretter, and it was found that she had lit a candle in the kitchen of the house and spread out a cloth as a receptacle for "loot," but had not taken anything when she was surprised. Next day Constable Trotter discovered that the woman had.made a hole under a house adjoining Braemar House, and had strewn it with paper and had been living there in the daytime, and moving out at night for provender. In the hole were found the coat, spoons, brush and candles stolen previously from Braemar House, where accused had worked for a week or two in January. The boot brush was covered with long hairs, having evidently been used by the woman for brushing her hair.

Reports from the gaol and from the Salvation Army Home were that while the woman was not insane, she was mentally "peculiar," and in view of her mental eccentricity she was not a person to be at large, though she might not be held fully responsible for her acts of theft. In conseqeunce be desired to withdraw the charge of burglary and to substitute the vagrancy charge of being found unlawfully on private premises by night. One of her peculiarities was that she refused absolutely to speak or to make any statement. After evidence had been given of the woman's capture ,aiul of the identity of the coat, spoons, etc.. his Worship convicted Jacobs of vagrancy and theft. On the former charge he ordered her to be committed for reformatory detention for a period not exceeding two years.