At Watford Police Court, a respectably dressed man named John Lawrence, of Paddington, was, on the Tuesday, committed for trial at the Quarter Sessions on four charges.
It had been alleged that, on 22nd December 1916, he had broken into the house of Mr David Lee, of St Albans Road, and had stolen articles to the value of £11 2s.; that in May 1914, he had stolen articles valued at £69 13s from Avenghat, the residence of Mr Alfred Wills, at Sandy Lodge; that on 18th July 1916, he had broken into Oaklands, Hempstead Road, the residence of Mr H. H. Hambling, and had stolen articles to the value of £126 15s; and that on 29th July 1914, he had stolen articles to the value of £250, the property of Mr H. S. May, of Heathbourne Lodge, Bushey Heath.
One of the witnesses was a woman who said that she had formerly lived with the defendant. She gave evidence as to accompanying him on his expeditions.
Mr May, of Bushey Heath, said that he had fired shots at a man who had stolen his articles and whom he had seen in his garden.
A P.C. identified the defendant as the man whom he had challenged at the junction early one morning and who had then run away, leaving behind a bag in which were discovered the proceeds of the burglary at Oaklands.
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