ALLEGED SHEEP STEALING.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XVI, Issue 5010, 26 April 1895, Page 3

ALLEGED SHEEP STEALING.

FOUR BOYS CHARGED. At the Mastorton S.M. Court this morning, before Mr T. Hutchison, S.M,, Robert Andrews (14), Patrick Reardon (12j), Robert Spackman (12|), andSydnoy Harris (11) were charged with stealing sheep from tho yards of Messrs Lowes and lorns, in Renall-street, Masterton, on the 3rd instant. MrPownall, for the accused, pleaded "Not Guilty," and asked that the accused be dealt with summarily, and that tho cases bo taken together. W. D. Bonnett, drover, said that on the evening of the 3rd instant, he was coming home from the Upper Plain and saw four oi five boys in the yards. They had three sheep out of the pens-two lambs and a sheep, They had hold of the lambs by strings on their necks, Witness spoke to tho boys and asked what they were doing there, but before he I could got to tho yards they got away. He did not know the boys, but called young Holmes who recognised them.

By Mr Pownall: It was between six and seven o'clock, and was not particularly dark. The boys appeared to him to be taking the sheop away.

Axel Holmes, aged 16, son of Mr Holmes, who lives by the sale yards, said that on the evening in question he was coming to lock the gates of the yards wheu he heard Mr Bennett calling out, At tho same timo he saw the boys jump the fence and run away. Tho boy Andrews had a little brother with him. Ho saw three boys holding the sheep, and two were in the pen, The sheep in the pen were running round and round, and the three outside were tied up. To Mr Pownall: The ropo used was tarred rope, that is used for tying the hurdles.

W, D, Bennett, re-called, stated there was nothing to prevent tho gates of the yards being opened and re-shut. Ho did not see the sheep taken out of any particular yard.

Alex. Walker said he remembered the evening of the 3rd instant. Ho had left a mob of sheep ('18) in the ram ring, which he was going to take home again, they were not for sale, He saw two lambs with ropes round their necks, and a ewe. Tho latter was one of the forty-eight and two others were missing. The lambs had belonged to witness but had been sold by auction on that day. He had not since found the two missing sheep. There were many boys about when he counted these sheep and he mentioned tho number aloud. He had frequently lost sheep from the yards.

Thomas Tankersley, a drover, said be was at the yards on the ovoning of the third instant. He saw the three sheep in question, and knew them; the lambs belouged to a mob he was to drive down tho Valley next day, Wm, Lowes remembered the evening of the 3rd instant, The names of the boys were given to him by Bennett, and ho made the complaint. It was a fact that a very large number of sheep were taken away from the yards. After this information was laid, there were no boys at the yards last salo day. He had never given ar.y boyß authority to tako away sheep. Often boys asked owners for weakling sheep, or lambs, and in many cases the boys got them, but they were taken away in daylight. By Mr Pownall: The fenco was not down, to his knowledge. Mr Lowes said he had no wish to see the boys 6ent to gaol, but he felt himself bound to take the step to protect his clients, as the loss had become yery serious. Mr Pownall, for the defence, said that it was admitted the boys wore at the yards, and they were ouly playing with the sheep and trying to tide on their backs without any idea of stealing them. Three of the boys were sons of hard working parents, the fourth was the son of a widow who supported herself. Roborfc Andrews, aged 14 years, on oath gave evidence that on the night in question five of them were in Messrs Lowes and lorns yards, and took three sheep out. They were going to have a ride ou the sheep. Did not know whore the ropes came from. Did not ride the sheep because some man "sung out" to them, and he let his sheep go. Did not intend to tako the sheep away. His father lived about two miles from the saleyards, They had been in the yardsabout fiveminutos, By Sergeant McArdle: Did not know whethertheother boys intended to ride the lambs. Took the sheep outside the pen to fade, because there was not room in the pen, Had never done it bofore, but had seen other boys. Patrick Reardon, called, said he did not know the meaning of an oath, He was twelve years of age. The boy's father said he ought to know the nature of an oath. Mr Pownall said he should he obliged to take the boy's statement, which was corroborative of the evidence of the boy Andrews. Found the rope in the yards, and used it to hold the sheep. Joseph Reardon, stoker at the Masterton Gas, said he knew nothing of this business. About four weeks before the 3rd April the boy brought home a lamb saying it had been given him, but it got awav in the night, Ho had been employed about five years at the Gas Works, and was well-known, His son was a good boy, and he had never known him to steal or do anything of that I kind,

George Spackman, general dealer in fruit, said he had been living in Masterton for sixteen years. Ho lived in Bentley Street. On the night of the 3rd of April, recollected his boy coming home late from school, and on the boy telling witness he had been at the sale-yards, witness thrashed him, His son was generally a good boy. Robert Andrews, blacksmith, said ho had resided in Masterton about four years. He lived at Makora road. His son was a good boy. Knew he' went to sale-yards sometimes, but did not know he drovo sheep or did anything of that kind. Never knew his boy to get into [trouble before. Had thrashed him when he found it out.

His Worship said the charge of theft, would be dismissed, bat he might tell them that they had done a wrong thing and might have got into serious trouble, and if caught tampering with the sheep again at the sale yards, would be leverely punished.