"LIVING BY FRAUD"

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 116, 12 November 1931, Page 15

"LIVING BY FRAUD"

BOGUS LOKD DUFFEKIN

GAOL FOR ELDERLY MAN

LANDLADY IMPOSED ON

Described by the police as a very plausible and well educated man about 07 years of age, William Bidulph Blackwood, who defrauded a Wellington boardinghouse-keeper by representing that he was the Marquis of Dufierin and Ava, was sentenced to two months' imprisonment by Mr. E. Page, S.M., at the Magistrate's Court to-day.

Blackwood, who pleaded not guilty, was also alleged to have lived at a Christchurch boardinghouse for a period of fourteen months without paying board, and in connection with this matter he was remanded to appear in Christchurch on a charge of obtaining £10 from Kate Bates by falsely representing that he was a brother of the Marquis of Dufferin and Ava, and that he had an interest in the Clnndoboye estates. ■

,The Wellington boardinghouse-keeper from whom Blackwood obtained £2 by false pretences, and credit to tho extent of £3 10s by fraud, Mrs. Agnes M'Lean, said that the accused came to her house about the middle of August and rented' a room. He said that he had lost £153 at the Christchurch races. He stayed at the house for two weeks and then left without paying his rent. On 21st October he went back to the house and obtained board. He showed witness a bank book, and he said he had a bank draft for £708 coming from overseas, but ho never paid for his board. He also said that he was Lord Duflerin. On two different occasions the accused1 obtained sums of £1 from witness. When the accused first went to board-he.was drinking a little, but after the first few days he sobered up and appeared to be quite a desirable type of man. . , r ...... A HEAVY DRINKER. Cross-examined by counsel for the accused, witness said that Blackwood used sometimes to bring provisions to the house —in fact, he was fairly liberal with them. The approximate value of the provisions brought on the last occasion was at least £3 or £4. Counsel: "You knew he had been drinking ?"—" Yes." "Dia you find any bottles?"—" Yes, I used to clear . his room ' out every morning." • "How many bottles did you find?"— "Seven or eight or nine." "What was he driking?"—-"Some cordial and brandy." "I put it to you that during the period he was at your house he was drunk practically all the time?" —"He might have been. He was a man who never showed any signs of liquor." "Was he under the influence of liquor when he told you the bank draft was coming?"—"He might have been, but he appeared all right." Mr. Page (to witness): "What was it that induced you to give Mm board the second time when he had not paid on the first occasion?" —"I don't really know. I just took him in." FAMILY PHOTOGRAPHS. Detective Waterson said that when he interviewed the accused he said he was drunk while at Mrs. M'Lean's and could not remember exactly what he had said or done there. Whon the accused was searched a newspaper photograph of a group including the Marquis of Dufferin, taken just prior to an air smash in which he was killed, was found. There was also a photograph of a wedding group and a typewritten sheet giving tho history and coat-of-arms of the Temple-Blackwood family. The accused told .witness that he had •been living with a Mrs. Bates in Christchurch for fourteen months, and had paid only the first week's rent. Ho said ho had told her he was a relative of Lord Dufferin, and had interests in tho Clandeboye estates. The accused estimated himself that he owed Mrs. Bates about £200. Blackwood admittedthat ho was no relation of Lord Dufferin or any other nobility, and that he was not expecting any money at all. EFFECTS OF LIQUOR. Cross-examined as to Blackwood's condition when interviewed, Detective Watorson said he thought he was a man who could carry a tremendous amount of liquor. Although he might be soaked with drink, ho did not show it, and was quite sensible when questioned. He appeared to be a man of good education, very plausible, and with plenty to say. Counsel for the accused submitted that the evidence relating to the false pretences charges did not go to the extent that Mrs. M'Lean was induced to part with tho money on the strength of the representation that a bank draft was due. His condition was such that no reasonable person would believe statements made by him. With regard to tKo obtaining of credit by fraud, counsel submitted that the evidence^ did not show that it was actually obtained by fraud. IN A STATE OF CHAOS. , In evidence, the accused said that when lie went to stay with Mrs. M'Lean he had £4 or £5 in his possession. He had been drinking pretty heavily at that time, and could not say whether he had paid for his board or not. He was in a state of chaos the whole time. He had quite intended to pay his board, but he was not expecting any bank draft. Witness said that when he made the statements to the police he was in a muddled condition; if he had been asked if the moon was green he would have said yes. Sub-Inspector Ward said that the accused said he was a salesman, but it must have been a considerable time since ho had had employment. He had not come before the notice of tho police before.

"It seoms evident that this man has been living by fraud for some considerable time," said Mr. Page when he sentenced Blackwood to two months' imprisonment on each of two charges of false pretences. He made tho terms concurrent. On two charges of obtainin g^credit by fraud the accused was 'convicted and ordered to come up for sentence within twelve months if called upon.