PETTY LARCENY.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XII, Issue 3965, 17 November 1891, Page 2

PETTY LARCENY.

Staiaton Before the Court.

One Month's Hard Laoour-

In the Masterton R. M. Court yesterday afternoon, before Messrs W. Lowes and J. Gardiner, J.P.'s, Cyril P. Stainton, piano-tuner, was charged on remand with the larceny of a coat and pair of gloves of the value of £4 los, the property of Mr Hugh H. Beethaiu.

Ellen McKelly, a domestic servant in the employ of Mr W. H. Beetham, deposed that the accused came to the boase on Friday afternoon last and asked to see Mr Beetham. She replied that he was not at home and he then asked if ho could see Mrs Bsetham. Witness went outside, but could not find Mrs Beetham. The accused then went away and said he would return. On his return Mr Beethau was not yet home, and Mrs Beetham was still out. Staiuton was invited into the sitting room, and when witness returned from lookingfor Mrs Beetham she saw the accused leaving the front gate. She did not see anything in the hands of the accused, m he was outside the gate. In the evening Mr Hugh Beetham missed his coat and gloves. The accused: Do you think I had anything in my hands when 1 left 1 Witness : I am here to say what I saw, and not what I think. The accused: The gardener was working slose to the door. Did he see me with a parcel ? Witness: I cannot Fay. The accused: That'll do ; thank you.

Hugh H. Beetham, sworn, deposed that he was staying at the house of his brother on Friday. He was about to return to Brancepeth in thd overling when he missed his coat. The coat produced was his. He valued the coat and gloves at £i 15s. James Sil'ars deposed: I am a dealer in Masterton. On Friday evening the accused came to me with a coat, which he wanted to sell. He saia it was not his, but belonged to a man named McPherson, who, like himself, was "down inhis luck." McPherson did not like to sell the coat himself and so he (the accused) had brought it. He said he had bean instructed not to take less than a certatn price. Witness waa doubtfu! whether the accused came honestly by the coat and therefore gave him five shillings only for it. The accused: Did I not say the man who gave roe the coat to sell was named Wilson, or something like tlia t, and was a cadet on Srancepeth station ?

Witness : I cannot say, I did not take much notice.

The accused : That's all ; thank you. Sergeant Hannan deposed that on Friday evening he noticed the accused coming along Church Street with ut parcel under bis rrm. When ha noticed witness the accused turned back and went along Chapel Street, leaving the parcel with a Mrs Cola and calling for it again during the evening. Witness got information about the theft about 3 on Saturday afternoon, and arrested the accused shortly afterwards in the Club Hotel. When in the cells the accused said an acquaintance of his named Charlie Wilson had given him the coat for sale, as he did not wish to sell it himself. The accused before going into the Court had stated he got the coat from a cadet on Beetham's station. On the evening of his airest the accused had been let out of the cells and had bolted, but was captured in Wrigley's bush. The accused : Can I call Mr Beetham's gardener to show that I had no parcel ? He seems to be an important witness on my side. So far the evidence has been very one-sided.

The Bench : You can call him if von like.

Ellen Cole, sworn, deposed: I remember the accused coming to my house in Chapel St. with a parcel on Friday afternoon about five o'clock. He said he wished to leave his coat as he had to walk several miles. 1 did not notice the man, but the coat produced is the one which was in the paicel, as I opened it. The accused called for the coat again in the evening.

George William Scadden, called by the defendant, deposed : I am gardener for Mr Beetham. I saw the accused pome to t|ie house on Friday and ask fpr Mr tyilliam Beetham or Mrs Beetlmm, jje went into the house and afterwards left with a coat on his arm.

The accused : Oh, that's enough. I had bettei give in after that. Do you positively swear (hat I had the coat on my arm? Witness: You had a coat.

The Bench (to accused) : Have yqil apythjrig to say for yourself ?

The accused: All that I have to say is that as I stand before thjs Court and Almighty Qod J never stole the coat. 1 admit having pawned it, and what the Sergeant says about ray having a parcel is quite correct. I say I met a man outside Mr Beetham's fence, and he showed me where Mr Beetnau. Jl™!: Unfortunately £do uof, knojy bjs name, although we'have dranfc: together, life appeaeecj to know allabout Mr Beetham's hquse as j understood he was a cadet on Beetham's station, and lie it was who gave me the eont. I will take my solemn oath I did not take the coat.

The Bench: Then how came you to leave Mr Beetbatn's house as you did? The accused: I told the servant t would wait about five minutes, and as she did not return in that time I left, t \vnt ou't fi'H 1 " imconcrnedly with my h'andg 711 my pockets. I would Hko tp say, further, your Worships, that X have bpen. IpaVeUjng through the country for the past thpee months, and bear a highly respectable character. I have walked about three hundred miles, and in following m} T profession I have met most respectable people. lam also known to the police in Feilding, Marton, and other plucPC. in the Rangitikci .district, to whom I pun refcp for the hpsp of jliarKclerS;' I have'nev'er before been up p a £hing like t'h'is. i admit I am giyen 10 /' sprpeing," and have dope a little jn but I have not toughed anything for three mouths and intend swearing off it. I am known to sevpral well known settlers in this district as being highly respectable. I appeal to the leniency of the plmrp and to sfr Hugh by whom I have' bee'jif eritertainecjl ut Branpepptii, and whpm I would' not wilfully wrong. I haye twice been convicted for drunkenness, once jn Masterton and once iu New South Wales, but beyond this 1 bear an excellent character. I swear positively again before Almighty God that I did not take the coat.

The Cenpb; We consider there is overwhelming evidence against you, notwithstanding your ingenious defence. One of the worst features of the c:ue js that you have tried to put

the blame on some other person whom you did not know and whom you cannot locate. The sentence of the Court is that you receive one month's hard labour in Wellington Terrace Gaol, which it hopes will teach you a lesson.