MONEY BURIED IN GARDEN1

Taranaki Daily News, 25 November 1926, Page 11

MONEY BURIED IN GARDEN 1

LOOTED WHEN OWNER AWAY CAREFULLY LAID PLOT SUCCEEDS. SUPPOSED ACCOMPLICE ON TRIAL. One might have been in the fabulous setting of Grimm’s fairy tales instead of in tho Supreme Court at New Plymouth yesterday afternoon, when the surprising story was told of treasure buried mysteriously in an old man’s garden, a plot to steal it that was successful. and the ultimate recovery of a large part of the missing monqy by the long arm of the law. The story, which is being told before the Chief Justice (Hon. C. P. Skerrett), was. only partly finished when the Court adjourned until this morning. Two persons, a man and a woman, had previously pleaded guilty in the lower court to stealing tho money, and the prisoner on trial yesterday, was Joseph Signal, of Hawera, who is alleged by the Crown to be an accomplice in the matter, but who pleaded not guilty. The following jury was empanelled: Messrs. M. G. Nasmith (foreman), H. 11. Edgecombe, W. S. Cartwright, A. Parrish, W. H. Luseombe, W. S. Knuckey. J. H. Parson, J. Geddis, A. Dunlop, M. MoCarten, M. Scott and \V. 11. Wood. ■ THE STORY OUTLINED. The story was briefly outlined ’•hen t the Crown Prosecutor (Mr. C. H. Weston) explained the facts to the jury. The case arose, he said, out of a t-ieft from an old man, Rasmuss Rasmussen, aged 76, at Patea on the night of August 14 or 15, 1926. Rasmussen was a Dane who had hoarded up a large sum of money and buried if in tho garden at the back cf his house, which was situated on a flat near the Patea River. Although the old man thought tr.e hiding of the money'in the ground was a secret, yet it was a common rumour in Patea that, he had buried money on his property. Accused fo’- some time prior to the theft lived in Hawera, but had his work in Patea, and user) to travel backwards anu. forwards from his home to his work. He was a stepson of the old man, with whom he used to live on friendly terms. It would be shown that accused was in financial straits, as was his wife’s brother, Sass, and the two became more or less obsessed on the subject of the old man and his money, constantly talking about the old man to other people. PLAN FOR ROBBING OLD MAN. As August approached, the thoughts and actions of accused and Sass took more definite shape, and there was constant conversation between a labourer named Martin and accused on the subject of the buried treasure. Evidence would be brought to show that accused asked Martin where the money was, and then said that ho had thought out a plan to rob the old man. Accused said the scheme would take two people, and offered to take the old man to Hawera while Martin secured the money. It subsequently happened that accused took Rasmussen to Hawera, and the theft was committed at Patea, though the persons responsible did not include Martin. Until the matter was placed in the hands of the police, the only persons who knew about the money were Rasmussen and the persists who stole it. In the lower court Sass and Mrs. Signal, accused’s wife, had both pleaded guilty to the theft, but accused had pleaded not guilty. Rasmuss Rasmussen, an old age pensioner and a widower living alone in a two roomed cottage at Patea, stated that situated on his property at the back of his house were three outbuildings comprising an outhouse, a wood shed and a smoke house for curing fish. He buried the sum of £l6l in the ground constituting tho floor of the smokehouse. It consisted of seven £lO notes, one sovereign and the rest in £5 notes, and was in two purses inside a tin. which was covered up by a few inches of soil, a plank and a copper. Describing the incidents of the weekend on which the robbery took place, witness said that by invitation he went to Hawera from Patea with accused in the latter’s motor car on the afternoon of Saturday, August 14. He had tea at accused’s house and asked where Sass was, but was told that tins was not known. On the Sunday afternoon he returned to Patea, and the first thing he noticed as he entered his gate was that the door of the wood house was open, the lock having been burst off. On the following morning lie was going to work in the garden when he noticed that the smoke house door was open, and on. investigation found that the and plank had been removed and th# money was gone. SASS VISITS PATEA. Alfred Carman, with whom accused sometimes bached in Patea, said that on the same Saturday that accused took Rasmussen to Hawera, Sass came from Hawera to Patea, witness thought on a bicycle, and stayed the night with him. Sass’went away again on Sunday morning. It had been generally rumoured ,in Patea for some time before the robbery that Rasmussen had money hidden away, and people were always joking about it,. Charles Martin, a labourer who worked with the accused in the freezing works, said he first heard about Rasmusseti’s buried treasure when accused told him amout it early in August. Signal bn that occasion said he thought he must have about £2OO or more, and asked witness whether he knew of its whereabouts. Witness replied that it was probably in an outhouse, and after further conversation Signal said: “I wonder where he has got the money planted. I would like to rob the old .” Ho said he had worked out a plan that would take two to carry out. A little later, on the same day, Signal said to witness: “I would not trust you anyway, Charlie,” and witness replied: “It wouldn’t pay you to.” UNCOMPLIMENTARY REMARKS. On the Sunday on which Signal brought Rasmussen back from Hawera h came over to the freezing works where witness was working, and renewed the conversation about the money, again asking witness where lie thought it was. It was not until that

night that witness heard about the robbery, and he went to see Constable Armour about it, subsequently making a signed statement recording the conversations between Signal ami himself about Rasmussen’s money. Later Signal’ approached witness and asked whether the police knew about the robbery. Witness replied that lie had informed the police, and Signal exclaimed: “You fool. What has it to do with you On the following Monday Signal came over to witness when he was working on some scaffolding white hing a building and said he had a message from his wife and family to witness’ wife and family, wishing them all bad luck and sickness. As for witness, Signal said he hoped ho would fall off the scaffolding and break his neck.” Under cross-examination, witness denied tliat he himself had been frequently talking about Rasmussen's money. He also denied having told Signal that his wife had said that if Signal did not rob the old ■ man she would do so herself. PART OF THE MONEY FOUND. Robert Signal, brother of the accused, gave evidence of conversation relating to accused's statements about the hidden money. Evidence as to an interview with accused was given by Detective Walsh, of Wanganui, who said that accused gave a long explanation of his conduct prior to and after the time of the robbery. Signal denied having known anything of the robbery until sometime after it occurred. Later witness interviewed Sass (who was located nt Wanganui) and Mrs. Signal at Hawera. Both admitted being parties to the theft from Rasmussen. From Sass witness obtained the sum of £56, and from Mrs. Signal the sum of £6B, which was handed over in the presence of the accused. Mrs. Signal said that the £63 was the share Sass hid given her after robbing the old man, and stated that her husband had nothing to do with the theft. ~p to the present, said witness, £l2O- - 2<l had been recovered, leaving £4O- - Jlnl still unrecovered. Constable Armour, of Patea. said that from his experience as clerk of the court at Patea he knew that Signal was constantly in debt. The constable was briefly cross-ex-amined by Mr. O'Dea, amt the Court adjourned until 16 o'clock this morning.