LARCENY AT TE AROHA

Waikato Times, Volume XXXI, Issue 2535, 9 October 1888, Page 2

LARCENY AT TE AROHA

About a month ago a silver Waltham watch was missed from the premises of Mr C. Balke, stationer. It belonged to his brother in-law, Frank Hotchin, who, it appears, had quietly asked several of his young companions to keep an eye open in case they saw it. This turned out to be a very effective means of tracing it, as about four days ago a youth named Harry Kerby was asked to take a watch and one pound in exchange for a pony by a young man named Arthur V. Hart. Kerby took the watch home, and on examining it became certain that it was Hotchin's watch, though it had been taken to pieces apparently to destroy the identity. He handed it to Mr C. Balcke, who wrote a, note to Hart on Saturday morning, telling him he was suspected of stealing the watch, and advising him to come and explain how he came possessed of it. Hart came, and as he was not able to give any satisfactory explanation of how it came into his possession, Sergeant Emerson was sent for, and he at once arrested Hart. He will be tried for larceny to-day. Hart is about 2-1 years of ago, and was a waiter in the Palace Hotel some time back, but had been out of employment lately, and living with Mr H. Newton, fruiterer. Ho says he bought the watch from Tom Brown, of Auckland, but he did not know Brown's address or what his occupation is, or where he was staying when he bought the watch from him.