SERIOUS CHARGES.

Auckland Star, Volume XXIV, Issue 248, 19 October 1893, Page 2

SERIOUS CHARGES.

ALLEGED FORGERY AND FALSE PRETENCES.

J. F. MORRISON COMMITTED FOR TRIAL.

At the Police Courb yesterday afternoon, Dr. Giks, R.M., committed for trial ab the Supreme Courb Criminal Sessions a young man named James Ferguson Morrison on six different charges of forgery and false pretences. Tho second churgo, heard after wewenb bo press yesterday afternoon, was that no did forge a cheque on the Bank of New Zealand ab Dargaville for the paymenb of £3 Is. ' _ . Mr J. MacMahon, hotelkeeper, Kaipara, deposed that accused came to him and asked him to cash a cheque Witness cashed it for him, and afterwards paid the cheque to Hancock and Co. on the following Monday. Ib was subsequently returned to him dishonoured. The signature of Mitchelson and Co. on the cheque had made him confident thab ib was all right when he cashed ib. Andua Raynes, licensee of the Grand Hotel, Auckland, deposed that the accused called on him on the 17th ult., and said he had been in the employ of Measrs Mitchelson Bros, at Dargaville. He askod witness for a Bank of New Zealand blank cheque. Witness gave him one. (Chequebook produced.) The accused them wont to the coflee-room in the hotel to write, and on coming oub again asked witness to cash the cheque. Witness refused to cash the cheque for a stranger. Prisoner then lefb. Richard Mitcholson, managing partner in tho firm ot Mitchelaon Bros., deposed that tho signature on the cheque (produced) was a forgery. It was nob the signature of any member of the firm or of anyporson authorised to draw cheques by the firm. He did nr i know the accused. E. H. Broadhursb, accountant in the Bank of New Zealand at Dargaville, deposed thab the cheque was presented ab tho Bank of New Zealand three weeks ago and was returned with a note "signature not known." The signature on the cheque was "Mitchelson and Co." The bona fide signature of tho firm was "E. Mibchelson and Bros." Accused reserved his defence in this caao alao, and waa committed to take his trial ab the next session of the Supreme Court.

Accused waa also committed for trial on tho following cliargeß, which were duly hoard :--That on tho 7th of October, by means of a valueless choque on the Bank of Now Zealand for paymont of £3 3s 9d, ho unlawfully and knowingly obtained from Richard Fowler tho cum of £3 Is with intent to cheab and defraud ; thab on tho 7th of October, at Auckland, he feloniously and fraudulently did forgo a cheque on tho National Bank (Whangarei), for the payment of £15 Is, and the eamo did utter ; thab he did, on the 23rd September, at Auckland, forge a certain cheque on tho National Bank, ab Auckland, for payment of £2 Ib, and tho same did utter with intent to cheat and defraud. That ho did, on the 3rd October, at Auckland, feloniously and fraduently forge a cheque on tho Bank of New South Wales, Auckland, for the paymenb of £3 17e, and did übter tho same. Bail was ollowod accused in his own recognisance of £20, and two other sureties of £10 each.