"BROKE DOWN."

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 82, 8 April 1926, Page 8

"BROKE DOWN."

WIRE ME £12.

A FORGED TELEGRAM.

YOUNG MAN COMMITTED FOR SENTENCE.

"Wire £12, broke dowu, arrive to-day, Mick McGuinness."

This innocent looking telegram recently was dispatched over the telegraph wires. Everything was in order, except that it was not Mick McGuinness who was in need of the financial assistance, but Eugene Byrne (27), who was charged at the Police Court this morning with forging the name of McGuinness to a telegram addressed to Teddy Murtagh with intent that it should be acted upon as genuine.

Byrne, who looked very sorry for himself in the dock as the evidence was unfolded, was represented by Mr. Allan Moody. He pleaded guilty.

In a statement produced by Detective O'Sullivan, Byrne said that he was at present on probation. On January 18 he said he intended to calling on Mr. AY. J. Campbell, the Probation Officer, to notify him that he was leaving for AVanganui, as he was promised a position there. ' The same night accused said he left for New Plymouth where he remained for a month. On arrival at New Plymouth he telegraphed to a man in Wanganui for 30/, but did not receive a reply. As he was short of money at the time accused then sent a wire from the Fitzroy Post Office to Teddy Murtagh in Hawera, asking Mm to send £12, and signed the telegram "Mick McGuinness." Accused receive da reply from Mrs. Murtagh, stating that her husband was away at the "Hawera races, but asking accused to come to Hawera when the money would be arranged for. Accused did not reply to the telegram as he had no money with which to dispatch a message. He admitted that he had no authority from McGuinness to send a telegram in his name. He knew Teddy Murtagh and McGuinness, also that both these men were on friendly terms, while he also knew that Murtagh would assist McGuinness if he was short of money. Byrne was then committed for sen-1 tence at the Supreme Court. j