"LIVE SPIRITS."

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 91, 18 April 1928, Page 9

"LIVE SPIRITS."

NOT DEAD ONES.

CONSPIRACY TO DEFfIAUD.

STORY OF A BUSHED CAB.

(By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.)

WELLINGTON, this day.

How two men conspired to burn a motor car in order to obtain insurance, covering their tracks by telling the police that the car had been stolen, was revealed in Court to-day when Donald Gillies, a plasterer, aged 31, and John George Furey, a salesman, aged '19, were charged with having conspired together to defraud the National Insurance Company of £90.

Mr. Edgar, manager of the Wellington branch of the insurance company, stated that on January 21 a proposal form was received from Gillies for insurance of a car for £90. .This was approved on the morning of March 28. Gillies told witness that on the previous evening a car had been stolen from Allen Street and the police had been informed of the theft. Gillies came in sgain to the office on March 30 anil told him that his car had been found destroyed by fire.

Acting Dectective Harding said that on March 29 he saw a burned car in a gully at KarorL Next day ha interviewed Gillies, who maintained his statement in regard to a theft. After further investigation witness again law Gillies, who asked if the matter would be.kept quiet if he gave up his claim ob-the insurance company. Witness told him that further inquiries would have to be made. - Gillies then said he knew whb hid burned the car, and he was not preient at the time. He made a statement admitting that he had conspired with Furey to ourn the car and jet the insurance. Witness went with Gillies to And Furey, and they met him. in New-' town, where Furey admitted - having burned the car, ana said he : -'wa# ; t<)Kget £5 from Gillies. Mr. Keesing, counsel for Furey, asked witness if he knew that Gillies had sometimes hypnotised Furey.- , . Witness replied that Furey v had said that was the case. He said he had mat Gillies at a spiritualistic church about four years ago/ 15 Mr. Keesing: Are you prepared-id say' who was the master mind in tills affair t Witness: No. Mr. Leicester suggested that FureyY aetions were due to "live" spirits, not deed ones. • . Both then pleaded guilty and were committed for sentence. %: