STRATFORD

Taranaki Daily News, 2 August 1921, Page 6

STRATFORD

STKATFORD AGENCY. Advertisements and items of news for publication in tte Taranaki Daily News should be left at the office of our local representatives, Wilson Bros., Broadway, Stratford. Orders for papers may also be left wit’ 1 them. A SERIES OF THEFTS. PRISONER ADMITS GUILT. August 1. The sequel to the series of burglaries which has alarmed residents of Stratford of late was heard at the Magistrate’s Court this morning, when Mil- ! ton William Barlow appeared before Messrs. C. D. Sole, J.P., and S. B. Hunter, J.P., on five charges of breaking and entering, the total sum of the alleged thefts amounting to £B5 18s 2d. Sergean J. Dale conducted the case for the police, and Mr. A. Coleman appear- ■ ed on behalf of the prisoner. i The first charge heard was that of J breaking and entering the premises of I T. I. Lameson, auctioneer, and stealing • general furnishings of a total value of I £52 2s Gd. I Thomas Isaac Lamason, auctioneer, ' gave that he had first missed a carpet square, and subsequently a re- | volver, bedroom ware, some hearthrugs, ■ and a coat. He identified the goods produced in Court as those stolen from his 1 place of business. He knew accused ’ very well, but had never given him auI thority to remove any goods. The place i j had been undergoing alterations, and ‘ there were no permanent fastenings on 1 the door by which entrance had been 1 effected.

The second charge was that of breaking and entering the vestry of the Stratford Presbyterian Church and stealing articles valued at £7 13s, the property of the Presbyterian Ladies’ Guild.

Mrs. Elizabeth Petrie, a member of the ladies’ guild of the Presbyterian Church, gave evidence that a sale of work had been held in connection with the church about June 21, and a number of articles which were not sold were

placed in the vestry of the church. The . vestry door was generally left open, giving access to the cupboard in which the articles were kept. The articles had been locked in one compartment of the cupboard, the key being kept in a box I in the other compartment, which was not locked.’ Witness identified a silk cushion, a cot quilt, a pair of slippers, a cushion cover, and trays as articles belonging to the ladies’ guild. They had been missed three weeks ago. The loss ■had not been reported to the police. The ladies did not know about the loss until the articles were found. The third charge against accused was with breaking and entering the luncheon rooms at the show ground and stealing crockery valued at £G IGs. the property of the Stratford A. and P, Association. Arthur John Barr, secretary of the I' Stratford A. and P. Association, gave evidence that alter the Association’s last show on November 24 the crockery I in the .Association’s luncheon room was 1 locked iqj. On June 21 ho found the I crockery room had been broken into ! and cup-:, salad bowls, small plates, soup plates ami dessert plates stolen, land he reported the matter to the po- ' lice. The fourth charge was that of breaking and entering the Stratford Marble Bar on July 8, and stealing tke sum of £l3 12s Sil, the property of : the Picture Company of Stratford. Sergeant Dale said that the evidence as to the. amount of upmey stolen was at variance. The Picture Company stated that £l3 12s 8d had been stolen, and prisoner had admitted stealing the money from the bar, but stated that he took a smaller sunn Albert Victor Vinsen, manager of the Marble Bar, gave evidence that at about 3 o’clock on the morning of July f) he entered the bar by the front door, which lie found locked, and he found that, the front of the cash register had been ripped off. A drawer of the register was open, and theje was no money in it. It was fuund that the back door, which gave access to the theatre, was open, and the back door of the theatre i was also open. The day book showed £lO 2s 8d worth of sales, and there was | also £3 10s which had been placed in j the register as change. j Sergeant Dale slated that 1 fibre was a i farther charge of breaking’ and entering lithe premises of E. G. Riddle, bur Mr. | j Riddle had not been able io attend the ! I Court, so he would have to ask for an I 11 adjournment until to-morrow for the ! hearing of this charge. ■ Sergeant Dale gave evidence that ho i had visited the house of the prisoner’s parents in Ollivivr where prisoner resided, and after a conversation with the prisoner’s mother?went into his bed- | room and found the whole of the prod perty, which had been identified by the i various witnesses. A. warrant was issued on July 22, and prisoner was ar- ■ rested at Grey month on July 24. Gn i his arrest he made a statement admitting the theft of the carpet -quare from ,T. I. Lamason. He had also stolen a {blank, sheet from the receipt book and filled it in himself to show that he had bought the article-. When he was i brought to Stratford he made the fol- ' lowing statement: —“On or about March I 10 I effected an entrance into the prei mises of E. G. Riddle by pushing the ; door open, and admit taking eight ; sheets of window glass. 1 also admit i breaking into the Presbyterian Hall at I the back of the church about June 22. J found the key in one of the cupboards, and took the articles to my room at home. I also admit breaking into the luncheon room of the A. and P. Association, breaking a lock to get into the room, on about June G. ] also admit breaking into the premises of T. I. Lamason, dealer, and taking articles and removing them to my own home. T also admit having broken into the Marble Bar, Stratford,-on July 8, I went into the back of the theatre. The door was open. 1 took a chisel with me. and

tried to open the ticket office, but was unsuccessful. 1 then went into the Marble Bar and opened the register, from which I took £9 ss. There was some other money there in coppers. I spent the money on travelling to Wellington and Greymouth.” Prisoner pleaded guilty, and was committed for sentence to the Supreme Court, which is sitting at New Plymouth on August ]G. The Court was adjourned until 9 a.m. to-morrow morning in order that E. G. Puddle’s charge may be heard. PERSONAL. I Mr. K. Masters, M.P., leaves to-mor-i row, for Wellington, where he will ’ spend three or four days on business in CQiinectioa with fils