The Tenterfield Intercolonial Courier and Fairfield and Wallangarra Advocate, Fri 17 Feb 1911 1
POLICE COURT.
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Wednesday, February 15.
BEFORE Messrs EH Juergens, TM Walker, and SA Woodward, JJP.
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LARCENY FROM A DWELLING.
Thomas Maunder, a recent arrival in the Commonwealth, appeared on remand, charged with stealing the sum of L8 3s 9d in money, a metal watch and chain, and pendant from the dwelling of Frederick Bendall, of Bolivia.
Sergeant Rogers deposed: From information received by telephone message from Sandy Flat on Monday night, 13th instant, I proceeded to the railway station to await the arrival of the goods train. I made inquiries, but found that the accused was not aboard. Followed the train along to where it was shunting and from something I was told I went to a carriage, where I saw the accused. Got into the carriage with him. I said to him “where he came from?” He said from Bolivia. I said “what is your name?” He said Thomas Maunder. I said “I thought so?” Then said to accused “have you got anything on you that don’t belong to you?” He replied “notes.” I said “what, money,” and he replied yes. Asked him “who it belonged to,” and he said Fred Bendall. Asked him “how he came to have it on him,” and he said he took it. Asked him if “Bendall told him to take it,” and he said no. asked him “if he had anything else on him that did not belong to him,” and he said yes, a watch and chain. Asked him “who owned that,” and he replied Bendall. I said “did Bendall authorise you to take it,” and he said no. I then arrested accused and charged him as above. On the way to the lock up he told me he had been working at Bendall’s for about three weeks, and that he had been in the country about three and a half months. Further along accused said “I’d given them sulphur to catch me if I had got past Wallangarra. At the lock up I searched accused and found L7 18s in money on him, consisting of one L5 note, two L1 notes, half-sovereign, and 8s in silver, also a watch and chain, grass pendant, and fountain pen. Asked him where the other L1 was, and he said “II only took L8. As I came along I had a meal at a farmer’s place about seven miles out, which they charged me a shilling for, and I changed the pound. I also bought two packets of cigarettes at a store as I came into town.”
Frederick Bendall, farmer, residing at Bolivia, deposed: Know the accused, who had been in my employ for the past three weeks. Left home at 8 o’clock on Monday morning to go to Mangleson’s sawmill, when accused was milking. Subsequently my boy caught up to me and told me what had happened and I returned home. On arrival there I found my watch and chain, L8 3s 6d in cash, and a fountain pen gone. The watch and chain was in my waistcoat pocket hanging on the foot of my bed, the money was in the left hand top drawer of the chest of drawers in the same room, and the pen was lying on the front room table. I immediately went to Sandy Flat and telephoned Sergeant Rogers. Found accused gone, and his working clothes in the room where he used to sleep. Recognise the property produced as mine, and value it all L11 10s. Accused had no authority to take the property.
Catherine Bendall, wife of the pervious witness, deposed: Know the accused, who was in my husband’s employ. Left home about 11 am on the 13th instant, my husband being absent at the time. Accused was at the house when I left. Returned home about 1.30 pm the same day, when I found accused absent, and did not see him again until now. The house was not closed when I left, I told Tom to close the doors. My bedroom door was closed but not locked. Did not take too much notice of accused not coming to dinner, as he was sometimes late, but on going to his bedroom to hang up my husband’s clothes, I missed the watch. Then went to the drawers and found the money had gone. Identify the watch and chain and pen produced as my husband’s. never authorised the accused to take the property.
This closed that case for the prosecution.
Accused made a statement as follows:—During Mrs Bendall’s absence somebody came to the door, and I answered it. On returning after closing the door I saw the watch and chain on the bed post in Mrs Bendall’s room, and was tempted to take it. I then went to the drawers and found one L5 note and three L1 notes, and on the table I found the fountain pen. I took the things outside, and knowing that I was doing wrong I went back and replaced them. I then went out into the paddock and unhitched the horses, when the temptation again came over me, and I returned to the bedroom, took the things, and went away. I don’t know what made me do this, as Mr Bendall was very kind to m and treated me well, and I had no cause to steal the things.
The Bench regretted, under the circumstances, that they would not deal summarily with the case, but the law would not permit them as the charge was a serious one and the amount over L5. Accused was then committed to take his trial at the Armidale Assizes to be held on the 28th March, bail being allowed, himself in L50, and two sureties of L25 each.
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The Tamworth Daily Observer, Wed 29 Mar 1911 2
ARMIDALE QUARTER SESSIONS.
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Armidale, Tuesday.
The Court of Quarter Sessions opened this morning before His Honor Acting-Judge Edmunds.
Thos Maunder pleaded guilty to a charge of stealing a watch and sum of money, the property of Frederick Vendor, [sic] of Bolivia, on February 13. Accused was remanded for sentence.
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The Tamworth Daily Observer, Thu 30 Mar 1911 3
ARMIDALE QUARTER SESSIONS.
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Armidale, Wednesday.
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Thomas Maunder, who pleaded guilty to stealing at Bolivia, was sentenced to six months’ hard labor, sentence to be suspended, however, and accused to be allowed out on license if accused’s former employer would take him back again.
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The Tenterfield Intercolonial Courier and Fairfield and Wallangarra Advocate, Fri 31 Mar 1911 4
ARMIDALE QUARTER SESSIONS
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(Convictions from Committals from
this District.)
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Thomas Maunder, who pleaded guilty to stealing from F Bendall, at Bolivia, was sentenced to six months hard labor, sentence to be suspended, however, and accused to be allowed out on license if accused’s former employer would take him back again.
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The Daily Telegraph, Wed 4 Oct 1911 5
LAW NOTICES.
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Wednesday, October 4.
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SYDNEY QUARTER SESSIONS.
Charles Henry Douglass, robbery in company; George James Eden, false pretences; Thomas Maunder, indecent assault; Joseph Bell, larceny.
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The Daily Telegraph, Thu 5 Oct 1911 6
QUARTER SESSIONS.
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(Before Judge Backhouse and juries.)
Mr Herbert Harris prosecuted for the Crown.
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YOUNG SAILOR DISCHARGED.
Thomas Maunder, a young “Jack Tar,” was acquitted on a charge of indecent assault [on Cecil Francis McHugh, 12].
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The Sydney Morning Herald, Thu 5 Oct 1911 7
QUARTER SESSIONS.
(Before Judge Backhouse and Juries.)
Mr Herbert Harris, Crown Prosecutor.
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ACQUITTED.
Thomas Maunder, a young man-o’-warsman, was acquitted on a charge of assault.
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Clarence and Richmond Examiner, Sat 2 Dec 1911 8
POLICE COURTS.
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GRAFTON.
On Thursday, before the PM.
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Yesterday, before Messrs A Thompson, and JG Phillips, J’sP.
Thomas Maunder, alias George Parmer, on remand, was charged with stealing goods to the value of £3, also two £1 notes and ten shillings in silver, the property of John O’Connor, of Harwood.
Sub-Inspector Atkinson prosecuted. The accused was undefended.
Constable Kemp deposed to searching the accused in company with Constable Lohan asked him in witness’s presence was he a stranger to Grafton. The accused replied in the negative, and said he was looking for work, and had walked from Glen Innes. He had no objection to being searched. On searching him they found a pocket book containing papers bearing the name of George Parmer, and a name Thomas Maunder. Sometimes he went under the name of Thompson. They also found a silver watch chain, but no money. The accused said that he had no bicycle. He was brought to the Inspector’s office when he stated he sold the bicycle to a man named Foster, and that he had changed no money while in Grafton. When he left Harwood he had 18s, and the chain that was found on him was brought from the old country. Accused was then charged with stealing goods from the dwelling house of John Herbert ‘Connor, valued £5 10s. To this the accused made no reply. At the lockup he gave his name as Thomas Maunder.
John Herbert O’Connor deposed that about 5 o’clock on the afternoon of the 20th of November, he left his house to go to Maher’s. He did not lock up the house. When he returned to the farm next day he missed a silver watch and chain, trinket, medal and match box, two one pound notes and about 10s in silver. He valued the property at £5 10s or £6. The contents of the house were also disarranged. He saw a bicycle track about 20 or 30 yards from the house, also footprints. He reported the matter to Constable Pye at Harwood, who made an examination.
Constable Pye deposed that early on the following morning he proceeded to O’Connor’s place by the usual road. He noticed a bicycle track lead from Harwood to O’Connor’s place, and it appeared as if the bicycle had been turned round, and continued along a bush road through a paddock. After a short distance the track disappeared as if the bicycle had been taken across the paddock of the road. He produced a rough sketch of O’Connor’s place.
Denis Hinchey deposed that the accused was at his hotel on the22nd of November. He changed some money for him including half a sovereign and a one pound note. The accused was riding a bicycle.
The accused made the following statement from the dock: When he went up to the man’s house to apply for work there was no one there. The look of the house gave him the impression that it had not been occupied for twelve months. Every door in the house was left wide open.
Accused was committed for trial at the Quarter Sessions at Grafton, on 1st March. Bail was allowed, himself in £50, and one surety to alike amount, or two in £25.
Accused was also charged with stealing a bicycle, valued at £12, the property of Norman Dalton, at Booralong, near Armidale, on or about Nov 11th.
On the application of Sub-Inspector Atkinson the case was remanded for eight days.
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Clarence and Richmond Examiner, Sat 9 Dec 1911 9
GRAFTON POLICE COURT.
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On Thursday, before Mr M Cleeve, JP.
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Yesterday, before Messrs A Thompson and JG Phillips, JP.
Thomas Maunder, remanded from the previous day, charged with stealing, was sentenced to three months in Grafton Gaol with hard labour, the bicycle to be returned to its owner.
1 The Tenterfield Intercolonial Courier & Fairfield & Wallangarra Advocate, (NSW), Fri 17 Feb 1911, pp. 2, 7. Emphasis added.
2 The Tamworth Daily Observer, (NSW), Wed 29 Mar 1911, p. 2.
3 The Tamworth Daily Observer, (NSW), Thu 30 Mar 1911, p. 2.
4 The Tenterfield Intercolonial Courier & Fairfield & Wallangarra Advocate, (NSW), Fri 31 Mar 1911, p. 7.
5 The Daily Telegraph, Wed 4 Oct 1911, p. 7. Emphasis added.
6 The Daily Telegraph, Thu 5 Oct 1911, p. 11.
7 The Sydney Morning Herald, Thu 5 Oct 1911, p. 4.
8 Clarence and Richmond Examiner, (Grafton, NSW), Sat 2 Dec 1911, p. 2. Emphasis added.
9 Clarence and Richmond Examiner, (Grafton, NSW), Sat 9 Dec 1911, p. 4.