"AN OLD GAME."

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 56, 7 March 1929, Page 8

"AN OLD GAME."

DECEIVING SOLICITORS. MONEY BY FALSE PRETENCES STORYTELLER GOES TO GAOL. Whatever else might be said of Robt. Vernon (31), he is a good storyteller, so good, in fact, that he extracted £5 from an Auckland solicitor by one of his tales. However, it was of the variety which brought no profit, but free board and residence in Mount Eden gaol for a period. Yernon was charged with obtaining from Mr. Hall Skelton £5 by falsely representing that he was a land agent' and that he" had sold a farm for £4750. Vernon pleaded guilty. Detective Hunt said he intervewed Yernon, who admitted he told Mr. Skelton a tale and got £5, part of commission of a land sale which had never taken placj;. "Vernon makes quite, a habit of taking down solicitors by telling them similar tales." said Chief Detective Hammond. "He has been a bit of a land a<?pnt, and this is an old game of his. He has not been out of prison very long." Mr. W. W. King, who appeared for accused, stated that Vernon had worked for seven years with a firm at Te Aroha, but for the past twelve months he had be?n out of work. He had no money and the temptation was too great for him. "Times are very har " Mr. Levien: Who for—solicitors? (Laughter.) • "For everybody," replied Mr. Kine. "Solicitors don't fall as easy for £">." said Mr. Allan Moody, who was in Court. "Some of them might, but not all." Mr. Levien remarked that Yernon had a number of chances in the past but had not availed himself of them. Accused was sentenced to three months' imprisonment.