WIDOW DUPED.

Alexandra Herald and Central Otago Gazette, Issue 1209, 26 November 1919, Page 2

WIDOW DUPED.

JOCKEY'S' ALLEGED FRAUD. THE PHANTOM TRIALS. The story of how a self-styled jockey i duped a young war widow was told at i Westminster, when Edgar Frank Doug- ; las Smith (32), formerly of Bath, who i was stated to havo represented himI self as a jockey, -was charged with obtaining, between February and July this year, £3OO by fraudulent pretences | from" Mrs Vero Cubit t, of Abingdon . Court, Kensington. There was another charge, against ; him of obtaining £7l» by false preteni ces from Mr Jus. Oswald Hartley, of j Carshalton, Surrey, and additionally, a • police accusation of being a suspected ■ person. The widow, i\ho was attired in : mourning, said her husband, who was I killed in Egypt last November, left i her tho motor and engineering busi- ; ness of H. Bradby and Sou. Smith, introduced to her last February, told her he waa an American : jockey, and that his namo was Frank ' Symthe. He declared he had ridden j much in America, and had had 2S p.ceij dents. H« had had a bad fall at Windsor. Mr E. E. Yaughau Williams (prosecuting): You h:id not had much experience of racing matters? Witness: No, not -until 1 met him. ! I told him abcur myself at"] my position in lite. Afterwards he paid me great attention, and I saw him overy evenin-g and Bometimcs during the ci-.y. Alxiut a month utter I hud met him he hi- had a retainer to ii<le tor ' Captain' Lowther, owner of racehorses: aud a member of the Isthmian dab, Piccadilly. lie was to receive £l^o

a voar and expenses. - •Ho showed nio. 1 added Mm Cubit t, "a document with a largo red seel, which he said was his contract. Ho nas always talking about marriage. Ho would marry mo, he said, as soon as he could get a divorce from his wife, !..;it ho did not want publicity about the divorcu to spoil his career. Mj - Va.ugb.an Williuxas: After \hl.~ did yuu go away with himi

Witness: Yes. )fo took me to the Isle 01 Man, and 1 went to Newmarket with him for several weekends — Saturday to Monday. He said ho rode his trials 'at Newmarket, and mentioned the name of'hia trainer. 'The trials,' said Mrs Cubitt, 'were supposed to take piacu early ou .Sunday mornings, and Smith on these occasions always dressed as a jockey—white breeches, top boots, etc.; in fact, the lull equipment except colour". When he returned to the hotel ho looked as if he had been riding." When wa.s it he spoko to yuu about money?— About April he sunt he wanted money to buy things to carry oe! his engagements with 'Captain' Lowthor. He asked mo to lend him £l5O, and said ho would repay mo when he rodo in the races. Believing lib representations, I lot him have tho money and subsequent sums. Mr Williams suited it. hrul boon ascertained there was no such a member as 'Captain' Lciwihtr belonging ;.i the Isthmian Club, and other statements made by Smith as to riding at Windsor races ur.d us to his association with a trainer and racing stud were equally false. Smith was remanded in custody.