A SERIOUS CHARGE.

Auckland Star, Volume XXV, Issue 103, 1 May 1894, Page 5

A SERIOUS CHARGE.

ALLEGED F.ALSE PRETENCES.

A young man na:a led Alfred Ellis, a barber by trade, and wh< > is only 18 year 3of age, was arrested yositerday afbernoon ab the* Thames on the charge of having stolen three bank deposit books from the residence of a settler at Wairoa South named John xßoss. The arreeb was made b>y Constable Bern upon information telegraphed from Auckland. The accused appeared before the Thames Police Courb this morning and was remanded till td-morrow, on tho charge of having obtained by false pretences £5 from the Auckland Savings Bank. The facts of the case are visry peculiar. On Saturday afternoon, M r Barr, of the Auckland Savings Bank, reported bo Detective Chryscal thab on tho day before, a young man representing; himself as John Ross, of Wairoa South, called ab the Savings Bank and presented a bank book bearing thab nume. Ho said ho wa3 John Ross f»ud drew £5 from the account. Nexb day be called again and drew £60. Shortly after the young man had lefb suspicions were aroused and an examination of the signatures led to tke conclusion thab one was not) genuine, Detective ChrystsJ telegraphed bo Constable Foreman at Pap akura, and thatofficer visited Mr John Ross, who said thab tho signature must have betin forged. He also BCated thab his house 'had been broken into and three bank deposiib books stolen. Mr Ross describe^ a yo ang man who had been working for him, and had sinco gone to town. Detective Chryst&l seb to work, and found that a yo ting man answering the description furnished by Mr Ross, and also at tho Savings Ba uk, had gono bo the Thames by tbo Rotomr.hana. Tbo telegraph was asjain set in motion, and upon tho arrival of the sbeamer ab the Thames, Constable Bern was in waiting. Tho suspected individual was followed to t he Post Office Savings Bank, and wna arres ted jusb as be had tilled in a slip to draw i :50. The three bank books were found <>i i the prisoner when he was arrestied, also* about £40. Greab credib ia duo to the police for tho promptitude shown in tbf £i case.