FASCINATING "MAJOR SENTENCED.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIX, Issue 70, 21 March 1908, Page 13

FASCINATING "MAJOR SENTENCED.

PRETENTIOUS PAUPERS LIFE STORY. >j '; To show the "fascinating way" of James 1, Cockburn. thirty-eight, who posed as a re- ' tired major, and was sentenced at the Old!' Baiiev to five years' penal servitude for !' frauds on young women and bigamy, a de- !• tective stated that one of his victims saidj ! If she had £1000 she would give it to Cockburn when he came out of prison. Detective-Inspector Simmouds gave the' prisoners life story. Born in India, son j of the Inspector-General of the Bengal I Police, he joined the Dragoon Guards, and was one of the finest riders in the Army. His promotion to riding-master with tic ! honorary rank of lieutenant was a record, j He got into trouble over money in Dublin I .led was CHFhiered. He took his wife aud ; family to Sheffield, and came to London m j 1904. sin;e when he had lived almost en-' tirely on yonng women. Ue was very popular, particularly good nt arranging sports, and founded "The Funurlists." a Snrblton' society with an embroidered apron and fun- ' nel-shaperi arrangement ss inrlsula. He I ; eoramitteil bigamy by marrying a Mrs Buck last October. Miss Janp Upturn, n draper's assistant, said the prisoner introduced himsolf to her' in the street. One day he said he was iv ' debt. Slip took a parcel with £16 10/ to his , square, and gave it to the maid, receiving ! a lotter from him in which he addressed her as "kitten." and concluded "Good-bye, my sweet love, with all my heart and devotion." He had previously had a gold chain and a diamond ring from her, which he pawned. j Miss Jacobs said she had known prisoner I for some two cr three years. She lent him £10 last August to go for a holiday. Later she advanced him £100. believing his statements that he was heir to a rich uucle and was insured. She again gave ! him £25 daring dinner at Frascati's. | Addressing the jury, the prisoner said he ' never led any of the ladies to believe that' he intended to marry them. He always treated tie loans as honourable debts. IJe had tried to get work, but was told he was too old (he is thirty-eight). Through this , case he had lost his frienils and was now a pariah. ' The Common Serjeant, \n passing sentence, said the prisoner had \sy stematicallj carried- on a. series of frauds. He ■was a "pretentious pauper."^