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THREE SISTERS
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CHARGE iOF ::LARCENYu
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'IMeital siil ita Emplloyes
No. 3 Adelaide Police. Court .pre
sented an unusual sight this morning
when three sisters, who had been ema;
ployed at Parkside Mental Hospital,
Sappeared to answer charges of larceny.
On the left side of Mr.. W. J..Hinde,
S;M., who presided,, bales. of woollen
and linen.goods.were piled up.
.Accused were Mary Ann Durick, Eliza
Margaret Durick, 'and Honorahl Veronica
Durick, all of Fullarton.. They were .charged
with having during the three .years ended
June 2, '1929, feloihiouisly and uiinlawfully
stolen, while employed by the depart
inenit of the Inspector-General of Hospi
tals, 34 blankets, 42. counterpanes, 137
sheets,. 51 towels,; eight flannel shirts,. 53
tablecloths, 25 pillowslips, 109 tea .towels,
one window -blind,- six bed, tickings, five
pillow' tickings, one calico night gown,
seven- bed gowns,, three hot water bags,
two hot water bag covers, a .quantity, of
dress material, 160 .lb. tea, quantities of
pepper,. sigar, ,cocoa,. .coffee, soap, and
pther artibles to, the value of' £227 5/.
:Mr.' W.' C. Gillespie, of the Crown Law
Office, appeared for the prosecution,. ad
Mr. 1. 'tilleiieuve' Smith, .K.C., ,with Mr.
J. McGee for: the defence.,
- Mr. Gillespie stated that' on June .24
Detectives Harris and Francis -were wait
ing in Eastwood terrace near the main
gates of' the hospital about 9 o'clock in
the evening. Honorah Durick canmeout
of the gate with a 'bag in her hand. The
officers stopped her and examined the
contents. They included"'medicine, meat,
kerosene, and soap.
Accused admitted th.pt she had--obtained
them from the'hospital, said'Mr. Gillespie.
The meat, she said, she was taking home
for her dog. ,The .detectiv.es went with
accused to her home at Fullarton road,
Fullarton, 'where they had conversation
iwith her and Eliza" Durick. They searched
the premises and. found the gbods pro
duced in court. ' On much of it appeared
the brand- of the Parkside Mental Hos
pital: It would be shown thait many
of the sheets had been cut across and
rejoined. 'His Honor woiuld -b?e asked' to
infer that the reason for cutting was to
remove the hospital brands.
Another aspect of the case, said Mr.
Gillespie, was, that a certain ampunt .of
food was provided for each. ward. If
some of this had been taken away it
meant that accused had deprived patients,
some of whom were persons probably
unable to express their' .bwn' thoughts or
complaints., ,of the food' thought necessary
for. their, wellbeig:'?' . ,
Detective 1Hiarei,: inev'inee; :said that
when' :olodrah, Thirick .ws ?sked wlhiat
fras in' the'big shde it?i t,' L7ter
accused .admitted that;. she had taken the
things from the hospital withoit auttho
rit.~ .
The hearing is proceeding.
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