THEFT OF £95.

Taranaki Daily News, 27 November 1919, Page 6

THEFT OF £95.

YOUNG MAN COMMITTED FOE SENTENCE. In the Magistrate's Court yoßterdny morning before Messrs. H. R. Cattley and M. Fraser, J.P.'s, William Arthur Woods was charged with stealing, on or about October 'l9th., from Martha Smit!;. St. Aubyn Street, New Plymouth, moneys amounting to £95. ' | Senior-Sergt. Willis conducted the prosecution, and accused was unrepresented. Martha Smith, a married woman, reaiding at St. Aubyn Street, New .Plymouth, deposed to knowing accused for about three months. He boarded with her from June last and left during July. On about November 14th., he come back again to live with her, telling her he had some trouble at, the Soldiers' Hostel Witness sffid that on October ISth. she received £95 from her brothers few! son, which was intended for the purchase of the house in which she was living. The money, which wag mostly in £lO and £5 notes, was placed in the chest of drawers in her bedroom. She last saw it about 11.50 on Sunday, Oct. 19. It was in her hand-bag. Accused was in the house all the morning. Witiws left the house about 7 pm. on Oct. 10th, leaving accused in the house with her son and daughter, aged 10 and 7 years, respectively. When she return;-1 to the house at about 7.30, accusal had gone, and she understood from the hoy that he had gone to Wanganui. About 10 o'clock the next morning she discovered that the money had disappeared. Her hand-bag was left open. No one had authority to take the money. It was? not true that she had given tTfc money to accused on the understanding that "they were to go away and live together as man and wife. To the Bench: Accused did not know that witness had the money. She took the money with her to Church on the Sunday morning, but left it a« home in the evening. Accused may have known that she was going to complete the purchase of her house the next day. He had no occasion to go to her bedroom. George Philip Smith said he remembered the Sunday evening when the accused was left in the house with witness and his sister, while his mother went to church. Accused came but of his bedroom with his portmanteau and said he would be back the next night. He told witness to tqll his mother he was going to Wanganui in a motor, with Mr. Banks, to get some films for the pictures. In reply to the Bench, witness said he could have seen accused if he had gone into his mother's bedroom. Witness was home during the afternoon of that day. Accused was there part> of the time. Charles. Banks, manager of the People'? Picture Company, said accused worked at the picture theatre for a short while. He was naid S.l for the week ended October ISth. On the 20th he was to have cotnmenced some Minting, and was to have called at the theatre on the 19th to make arrangements about the work. Witness did not see accused on the 19th'. He had made no arrangements to go to Wanganui with accused on the 20th. To the Bench: Up to October 1.1. accused was paid casually. For the weekending October 18th., he was paid a weekly wage. He was then permanently engaged to work at the theatre. George Gibscm, taxi proprietor, New Plymouth, deposed that on the evening of Sunday, October 19th., about 6 o'clock, he received an inquiry as to the fare for taking a man through to Wellington, "ffe replied that rT would be £3O. but as the applicant said he was anxious to get down to sec his sister who was dying, he offered to do it for £25. The inquirer said he would have tc go and borrow the money. About 7.15. accused came to the garage. He paid the £25 in two £lO and one £5 notes, and witness drove him through to Wellington that night, reaching Thorndon station. where he left him, at about 5.15 the next morning. Accused was a complete 'tranger to witness. He saw no sign of any other money on him. Martha Smith, recalled, said accused i was in the house during the afternoon of October 19tJ\. He went out and came back again. He told her he was goin^ round to the picture theatre. Constable Wrohlenski stated that on the morning of October 20th, while he was speaking to Detective Fitzgibhon, Mrs. Smith came up and asked to speak to the detective. She seemed in a "cry nervous and agitated state. She complained about the loss of the money. From her demeanour he gathered the discovery of the loss bad been a great shock to her. Accused was arrested in Wellington on November ISth. He made a signed statement, which was produced- In the statement, accused said he came to New Zealand from England in May last by the Earanga. and came to New Plymouth in June. He boarded with Mrs. Smith for a time, and tliere had heen an arrangement between him and Mrs. Smith that they should go away and live together as man and wife. He told her he had no monev, and she said she could let him have £_loo. When she looked in her bag there was. only £95 there. She gave him this, and lie nut it in his pocket. It was in notes The idea was that he should go away and she would join him at Wanganui later. While Mrs. Smith was at church lie thought it would be a good opportunity of setting right away out of the affair, as he did not want to he mixed n;j in any divorce proceedings. So with the £95 in his pocket he went away. He then detailed the manner in which the money had been spent, including motor car hire, steamer and train .fare to Christchurch, hotel expenses, and some of it at the Christchurch races. The statement was read over to accused when he reached New Plymouth, and he admitted having made it. In reply to the usual question, accused said it was the first time he had ever heen in any such trouble, either here or at Home.' He admitted taking the £95. but asked to be given a chance, and said he would repay the money. On pleading guilty, accused was committed to the Supreme Court for sentence.