ALLEGED ROBBERY WITH VIOLENCE.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2479, 19 April 1909, Page 5

ALLEGED ROBBERY WITH VIOLENCE.

THREE YOUNG MEN CHARGED. A CONFESSION OF GUILT. As the outcome of the disturbance which took place near the Kaiti Bridge on* Thursday night, and of which the details published in Saturday’s “Times,” there was a large crowd of the public present in the Police Court on Saturday morning, when three young men, named Horace Leyford, Frederick Roberts, and Robert .Miller were charged with haying, on April 15, at Gisborne, assaulted and robbed one Horace Benson.

Sergeant Hutton conducted the prosecution and accused were not represented by counsel. Harold Benson, the injured anan, stated that on, Thursday he received a cheque for £8 8s from Mr. Burgess, of the Dominion Boarding House. He then went down the street, into the Gisborne Hotel. After leaving the hotel he went to other hotels, and in the Coronation lie eaw the accused Leyford, who offered to cash the cheque for him, and gave him the full amount. He could not say if he had drinks with Leyford. After leaving the Coronation Hotel, at closing time, lie went in the direction of the Dominion Boardinghouse, and remembered! crossing the Haiti Bridge. After getting over the bridge the next thing he remembered was being on the ground with some persons pummelling him and rifling liis pockets. There must have been two persons there because ho heard them talking to one another. The discoloration on his face was the result of the injuries inflicted on him then. After being knocked about he lost his senses for a time, bue when lie had recovered a .little he got up* and went into the boarding-house. On reeling in his pocket he found that all his money had been taken, as well as bis gold watch andl chain and pendant. The watch produced was his property. He mentioned 3iis loss to some bo uy on arriving at the boarding-liouse, and reported the occurrence' to the police in the morning. j To accused Roberts: 1 cannot say I * saw you on Thursday night. To" the Bench: He identified accused Leyford at the Police Station on Friday night, as the man. who had cashed" his cheque at the Coronation Hotel. Mary Bradbury, barmaid at the Gisborne Hot* ;, said that she had seen the three accused at the hotel on Thursday evening about 9 pin. I Imy remained until about 9.45 p.m. 1 he witness, | Benson came up to the bar in company with accused Leyford just before they went otit to endeavor to cash a cheque for £8 Bs. She refused to cash the cheque as she had suspicions, but told him to go to the office of the hotel, and enquire there if they could cash it. When Benson and accused Leyford tried j to cash the cheque the two other accused men were waiting in the bar. The three accused appeared to be corapan ions. , , Herbert Lucas, son of the licensee of the Coronation Hotel, said that he ’knew accused Leyford and Miller, but did not know Roberts. On Thursday night, at 10 p.m., he cashed a cheque l'or £8 8s and handed the cash to accused Lyford. The cheque was sign id “Burgess.” Ho could not say that lie had seen either Roberts of Miller at the hotel. In cash for the cheque be cave 8 sovereigns and the remainder in silver. Horace Simkin, laborer, residing at the Diminion Boarding-house, gave evidence of having found' a hat iti a pnddock about 100 yards from the board-ing-liousc. The licit waft the oue Beuson had been wearing on Thursday night. He also discovered the watch and chain and pendant ('produced), and an empty bottle which had evidently containing whisky. The spot where he found the articles had signs or a struggle having taken place. I he ground was soft and sandy. He found the articles at about 8 a.in. and took the watch and chain to the Police Station. Constable Dandy gave evidence that from information received he visited a vacant section across the Kaiti Bridge from 80 to 100 yards from the Dominion Hotel. He was accompanied by the witness Simkin, who showed him where he had picked up the articles. There were 'traces ot blood about and the toft, sandy soil was considerably torn up He also found a bottle containing a small quantity of whisky. Ho arrestea accused Leyford at Nelson Bros, freezing works. He called Leyford aside and told him that bo was suspected of being mixed up in the. assault and robbery. Leyford asked him if he (witness) was" going to take him away, and witness said “Yes, unless you can give me a satisfactory explanation, ' Leyford then said he had met Benson iu the Giishornc Hotel, and that ho (Lcyfoiu) had tried to change the cheque for win there. Then went along to the Covon- . ation (the three accused Mid Benson) and there they cashed the cheque just at 10 p.m. they then came out of the hotel and went across the Haiti bridge.having a drink on the bridge and went over to a vacant section. He and Benson went inside the fence leaving Roberts and Miller out on the lootpath and he (Leyford) talked to Benson for some time, and they also had more whisky.- Benson then stumbled and tell down," and he laid down alongside ot him. Roberts came into the cection, leaving Miller standing on! the road. Roberts and he then started to search Benson, who called out for help and* ho struck him in the face. He (Leyford) took the money out of Beuson’s .pockets and the money was equally divided between the three of them. "Witness asked Levford if he would make the foregoing statement in writing and Leyford he.would. He did eo and the statement was written in witness’ presence by Scrgt. Hutton, and signed by Levford, after having been, read to him. At 4 p.m. he (witness) and tonstable Pratt arrested accused Miller and Roberts, in the! British Empire Hofei and brought tliem to the J. dice Station where, they made statements which were taken .down m writing and, after being read to them, were signed l.v them * When searched, Levford bad £fy 19s 3d, Roberts had 8s 3d in surer and Miller Ms in their possessions. Sergeant Hutton said that at J a.m. on the :16th inst. Horace Benson made complaint of having been robbed and at 9.30 the witness Simkm banded witness the watch and chain. At 1 p.m. Constable Dandy brought in the accused Leyford. Witness s;ud to Levford “Hullo voung fellow, wliat* have you been up to:” Leyford replied, “I'm afraid 1 have gone a bit too far this time.” Accused Leyford then intimated his willingness to make a statement, which lie (witness) look down in writing. .Shortly after 4 p.m. the accused Roberts and Miller were brought to the Police Station.. Miller, on being questioned as to his whereabouts on the previous night made a statement which was written down and .signed by him. He admitted being in the eojnpany

quiff osp? puo sq.toqoq£ pun puopfo-j jo some man wanted to cash a cheque. He was drunk and did not remember going over the bridge at all. Roberts, on being questioned, made a statement in which he admitted being in the company of Leyford and Miller, but denied going over the Kaiti Bridge. Continuing witness said that Leyford liad further stated that he was the worst of the three, and that drink was the cause, He also admitted that it was not the first time he had done a similar thing. At this stage the further hearing of the case was, on the application of Sergeant Hutton, remanded until Wednesday next.- Bail was allowed; accused in £IOO each and two sureties of £SO each.