CONSULTED A SOLICITOR.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVII, Issue 65, 16 March 1916, Page 6

CONSULTED A SOLICITOR.

AT THE SOLICITOR'S EXFEKSE.

A TALKATIVE TAILOR.

WITH A PRACTICAL IMAGINATION.

An elderly man who had obtained nearly £40 from si firm of solicitors in Auckland by means of a fairy tele concerning a legacy from a rich uncle came before Mr ¥. V. Frazer, S.M., to-day on a charge of having obtained the money by false pretences. The man, James William Palmer, alias William Armstrong Hawson, was charged that between January 28 and February 29 he obtained suma of money aggregating £37 from Richard Heber Skelton by the false pretence of representing that he was a man of wealth when he was not a- man of wealth. Reginald H. Skelton, solicitor's clerk in the employ of Mr Hall Skelton, Auckland, stated that on January 27 accused was introduced to witness and gave his name as William Palmer. Palmer said he wanted to buy a house in Auckland, and was taken to see a house, but he said it wasn't big enough. He represented that he was a man of means, and wanted a place of the value of £1.500 to I £2,000. The following day the accused called on witness, and in the course of conversation stated that in November last year an uncle in England had died and left him £70,000. In the middle of January last, he said, he had been married atßanaiora. near Chmtchureh, and his wife and his mother-in-law were both 'wealthy. The wife and mother-in-law were stated to be desrrous of transferring their property interests to Auckland. They had been on their way with him to Auckland, when the mother-in-low took ill and had to leave the train at Tai'ha-pe. The wife had stayed there to look after her mother, and had taien her luggage out of the train there. In the wife's luggage, hp said, were bank drafts belonging to both the wife and himself. Incidentally he mentioned that he had riven his wife a wedding present of £3,000. Accused stated that he would like when the wife arrived with the bank drafts, to put £0.00)) or fS.OOO in the tru*t account of witness , firm, if they had no objection. They bad nane. Meantime, accused intimated, he wa3 somewhat short of ready cash and he requested a lcian of £.'! for current expenses until his wife arrived. That was January iS. On February 1 accused called at the office with the gooi news that his mother-in-law was improving and would be able to come on to Auckland soon. Pending, her arrival he would like more cash To keep him going, and was given £12. On February 7 he got £5 more, and remarked "that if ever witness was a bit short in making up a loan he would le alad to let witness have the money free ol interest. On February 12 he got a further £5. on February 16 he got £3, on the 18th £2, and he got £5 on the 24th, when he reported that his wife and mother-in-law were arriving in Auckland next day. Just prior to that witness had mentioned the matter to the

police. Detective Cullen stated that when he interviewed accused on Ist March the latter eventually admitted that all that he had told Mr. Skelton was untrue. He btated that his real name was Howson, that he was a tailor by trade, and a widower, his wife having died in 188). The story that he had been left a legacy of £70,000. had married again, and was a man of wealth, was untrue.

Accused pleaded "guilty," and was committed to the Supreme Court for sentence.