CONSPIRACY CASE.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 56, Issue 103, 12 February 1936, Page 6

CONSPIRACY CASE.

TRIAL OF EX-DETECTIVE. VUnited Press Association—Copyright) (Received This Day, 9.5 a.m.) SYDNEY, This Day. The hearing Avas resumed in the Central Police Court yesterday of the case in which a former detective, John Ellis Findlay, aged 40, was charged with having conspired to pervert the course of justice by aiding a prisoner, William Campbell, to abscond from bail and escape to New Zealand. Accused was further charged, together with Ernest Pierce Coombe, 40, agent, and Charles Richard Tanser, 52, agent, with conspiring with William Campbell and William Holland Makin and others to defraud several persons of large sums of money. There Avas a similar charge against William Campbell, 35, clerk. Madge Campbell, Avife of one of the defendants, told of the plans Avhich are alleged to have been made to enable her husband, William Campbell, to abscond to NeAV Zealand. On one occasion Findlay told her to go upstairs at Hotel Australia, as Detective James might recognise her. He also told her not to go to the boat, as the Avater police, might recognise her. As a matter of fact, Findlay assisted her to accompany her husband to New Zealand, wliere the pair were later arrested. She Avas discharged on bond. On one occasion she paid £3O to Findlay. Asked Avhetlier she had seen men with Chargol mixture, Mrs Campbell said: “I could not help seeing them. They were always messing about Avith it. Tanser never discussed anything else but Chargol. I got sick of the song,” she added. “My husband had many aliases, and when he lived under another name I adopted it.” While Mrs Campbell Avas being crossexamined by her husband, Findlay made a remark upon Auhich Campbell appealed to the Bench to protect him, declaring that Findlay had, called him a very offensive name. Findlay interjected: “I never used that Avord. Campbell is a liar if he says I did.” The CroAvn Prosecutor’s assistant declared that he had heard the Avoid. The Magistrate (Mr Shepherd) ordered that Findlay he charged Avith contempt of court, to be dealt Avith later. When Findlay Avas charged, Avith contempt, of court lie pleaded guilty, and Avas fined 20s. Mrs Campbell had not concluded her evidence Avhen the Court adjourned.