BREAKING AND ENTERING.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2278, 25 August 1908, Page 2

BREAKING AND ENTERING.

THEFT FROM A BOARDING HOUSE.

YOUNG AIAN COMMITTED FOR SENTENCE.

Tlie recent ease of breaking and entering in Lowe Street was the subject of investigation in the Alagistrate’s Court yesterday afternoon, before Air. AY. A. Barton, S.AI., when Joseph Dante was charged that lie did, on August 17th, break and enter the dwelling of Elizabeth Wilson in Lowe Street, and did commit theft therefrom .

Sergeant Hutton conducted the caso on behalf of the police, and .accused, who was undefended, pleaded, guilty. Elizabeth Wilson, boarding-house keeper, of Lowe Street, said that on the 17tli inst. she left her house botween 3 and 5 p.m., all the doors being closed before she loft, "but there were no locks. She returned about 5.10 p.m., and noticed that all the doors wore open. Slio noticed nothing elso except the doors being open. Walter L. Bradley, blacksmith, said that lie boarded at the house of the last witness in Lowe Street. On the 17tli inst., in consequence of something he had heard, he made a search of his room to see if anything were missing. He missed a pair of trousers and between 26s and 30s in money. The braces, trousers, and purse (produced) were his property, and were those that he had missed from his room on the 17tli inst. He valued the articles at from £2 10s to £3, and no one had any authority to remove tho articles. Louisa Hanes said that on the afternoon in question, shortly after 3 o’clock, she saw the accused standing at her door. She sent her little boy to answer tlie door, and accused said lie would call to-morrow, and left. She next saw him going into Aliss Wilson’s house, which is situated next door but one to her house. In about five minutes she saw accused again passing her house, going towards town. She asked accused what lie had wanted at her house, and ho lifted his hat and replied, “Nothing, thank you.” When accused first came to her house he was not carrying anything, but on re-pass-ing later lie appeared to bo carrying something under his right arm. Ho appeared to be quite sober, and she subsequently identified him at tho Police Station the following evening. To accused: She did not see a bottle in liis coat pocket, and lie appeared to be sober.

Herbert Hanes, a lad of twelve years, also gave evidence as to having seen accused >at the house. Accused asked if liis mother was in. On receiving a reply that she was dressing accused said ho would call tho following day. Witness next saw him standing at Aliss Wilson’s gate, and later he hoard liis mother' speaking to tho accused*, When lie first saw accused he had a book in liis hand, and when he saw him after he had been in Aliss Wilson's house ho appeared to be carrying a parcel. J oil u Maher said that be saw accused go to Airs Hanes’ verandah, and afterwards leave and go to Aliss Wilson’s. A ‘few’moments afterwards lie was speaking to Airs. Hanes, when ho again saw .accused passing along going towards town. The little hoy said, “There is the man, mother,” and she asked him if he wanted anything, receiving a reply in the negative. When he first saw accused lie appeared to be carrying a book, and when lie came away from Aliss Wilson’s he was carrying a_ brown paper parcel, about 14 or 15 inches long. Accused was quite sober.

To accused: He could not see ■whether the door of Aliss Wilson’s house was open. Constable Pratt gave evidence as to the arrest of the accused in Gladstone 'Road on the evening of the 18th jnst., and was present when accused was charged with the offence. Accused said that he was residing at Mrs. Higgins, in Palmerston Pond, where he had a room to himself. Accused denied being in the vicinity of Lowe Street on the previous day, as ho had been digging at Parnell’s, and also down at the wharf. Witness was present when accused was identified by the last three witnesses at the Police Station, when accused again denied having been in Lowo Street, adding that- there must be some mistake. Witness was also present when accused’s room was searched, and the articles produced were found. The trousers were lying on tlio bed. When the articles were shown to the accused later, he said, “Those are the articles stolou from Miss Wilson’s, but I was not in there. Another man went into the house and gave them to me.” Almost immediately afterwards, accused said, “I took the trousers, braces, purse and money, hut not the watch.” To the accused: He did ask him if he had a patch on his trousers. No person identified him by the patch. 1 his concluded the ease for the prosecution, and in answer to the usual question, accused replied that he had nothing to say. Accused pleaded guilty, and was committed for sentence to the next sittings of the Supremo Court, to be held in Gisborne next month.