Stolen Watch

A watch was stolen from the caretaker of the Miners' Racecourse in January 1901.

Details
Peter Duggan was arrested by Constable Stallard for stealing a stop watch from the home of Patrick O'Halloran, the caretaker of the the Miners' Racecourse.

COMMITTED FOR TRIAL. Peter Duggan was charged with stealing from the residence of Patrick O’Halloran. He pleaded not guilty. Patrick O’Halloran, caretaker of the Miners’ Racecourse, stated that he lived at the comer of Cobden and Sutton streets, Redan. On 20th January witness went out at 3 p.m. and returned at 7 p.m. He found that during his absence the house had been entered. He missed a watch, which was a stop watch, valued at £8. Witness knew accused, but had not lent him the watch. William H. Burton, farmer, stated that on the 20th ult., he saw accused near O'Halloran’s house; and Mrs Calvert, deposed to having seen him inside O’Halloran's fence, standing near the kitchen window. When she first saw him he was standing upright, but when she looked again he was bent down, and creeping along by the fence. He went out the back way and down a lane. Frederick Furlong, miner, stated that on 29th ult. he was standing at the corner of Bridge and Main streets, when he was accosted by accused, who asked him “How his silver was?” referring to the state of his finances. Witness replied that he was “Stiff.” and had none. Accused remarked that he “Had a good thing on,” and he supposed he would have to “do his watch in” (i.e., pawn it), to get a drink. He then produced a watch, and asked to take it into the pawnbroker’s for him. Witness said, “Is it your own?” and accused replied "Of course it is, do you think I would ask you if it were not. I brought it from Broken Hill with me." The watch produced (O’Halloran’s was the one accused gave him, and he asked witness to get 5s on it. Witness pawned the watch for 3s, and gave the money to accused. Marc Rosenthal, pawnbroker, deposed that the watch was pawned with him by Furlong, who said that he wanted 3s on it for an hour. Plainclothes Constable Montague deposed to having on the 31st ult. seen the watch in the pawnshop. Witness interviewed Furlong and from what he then heard, he communicated with Constable Stallard, of Redan. The next day witness saw accused in custody. Accused denied having given Furlong the watch to pawn. Constable Stallard deposed to having arrested accused at Redan. This closed the case and accused, who reserved his defence, was committed for trial at the Supreme Court on the 12th inst.