HONEYMOON ARREST.

Auckland Star, Volume XLI, Issue 293, 10 December 1910, Page 17

HONEYMOON ARREST.

ALLEGED BOGUS CAPTAIN OP HUSSARS. —■•' At Reading Police Court on October 22, George Charles Glfford Hodge, a tall, athletic young man of 29, a native of Exeter, ■was charged with obtaining from Mrs Louisa Hannah Purcell, landlady of the Brunswick Arms, Rending, the sum of £3, and from Albert Edward N-eal, grocer, of Castle-street, Reading, £1, by means of fictitious cheques.

Tbe accused, It was stated, stayed at the Great Western Hotel, Reading, from September 7th to September 12th, stating that he was Captain the Hon. G. C. Gifford Hodge, of the 4th Hussars, aud that he had just returned from the manoeuvres. He left without paying his bill, and during his stay persuaded a young woman to cash for him two cheques which •were afterwards returned "No account." The cheques were taken from a book issued to Mr Arthur Senior, of Boxhall, Colchester, at whose house the accused had stayed. Afterwards, at Torquay, the accused made the acquaintance of a Miss Walker, wjio was performing there with a theatrical company, and proposed marriage, saying that he was A CAPTAIN OF THE 4th HUSSARS. Miss Walker cancelled an engagement to go with a theatrical company to America, and the pair left for London, where they were mdrried at the Fulham Registrar's office on October 6. They then left to spend the honeymoon at Newquay, Cornwall, where they stayed at an hotel. The accused hired horse 3 and traps; and drove his wife about, and also went hunting, meeting with an accident from which he was still suffering when he was arrested. When charged at Reading, the accused said: "All right, I shan't give you any trouble. Anything you want to know I will tell you, as I want to get it over. Are these all the charges you are going on with?" The accused was committed for trial at the next borough quarter sessions, bail being refuaed.