PICKING WINNERS

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 243, 14 October 1929, Page 8

PICKING WINNERS

CONSPIRACY CHARGE. BOOKMAKER'S EVIDENCE. SUSPICIONS AROUSED. alterations in telegram. (By Telegraph.—Special to " Star.") GISBORNE, this day. The hearing of the charges against William McKinnon and Wallace Fountain of conspiracy to defraud a Napier bookmaker, Arthur Yeo, by means of forged telegrams, was resumed in the Police Court this morning. The first witness was Arthur Joseph Yeo, who described the arrangements made by him to accept bets from G. S. Symons. On July 10, the date of the Wellington race meeting, a telegram signed "Symons," timed 12.14 p.m., was received, wagering a bet of £20 on Mark Mint. The race was due to start ot 12.10, and witness telegraphed, declining to accept the bet. Witness proceeded to mention in detail the telegrams signed "Symons,"' making bets, these including:— £10 on Bisox. £10 011 King's Jest (the winner). £10 on Kaiti (the winner). £10 on Juggle (loser). £10 on Partial Eclipse (the winner). £10 on Pliastar (loser). £20 011 Membo (the winner). £20 on Black Mint (the winner). £10 on Gratius (loser). £5 011 Valsicr (loser). £20 on Flying Prince. On August 24 he received a telegram wagering £20 011 Flying Prince at Pakuranga. The horse won and paid £12 2/6. Witness usually paid out to a £7 10/ limit, but owing to the difference in the timing and receiving of the message and an alteration of the number ng of the words he queried the wager, asking the Telegraph Department to inquire. Subsequently lie received several communications, asking for a settlement. Witness said he had done business some years ago with McKinnon, but owing to the latter's failure to settle ho declined to accept further bets, and he would not have accepted telegrams signed "Symons" had he known they were McKinnon's.

Yeo added that since the inquiry commenced McKinnon had telephoned him and endeavoured to arrange a meeting to discuss Symons' betting. Witness asked if he was going to settle a longstanding debt, but finally he "got wild and rang off."

Detective McLeod produced a long statement made to him by McKinnon, in which accused stated that the question of the "no reply" telegrams first cropped up in connection with the backing of Symons' horse Malahat. The arrangement, with Yeo . was not at his instigation, and the correspondence was addressed to his box on Symons' suggestion. Symons agreed to his using "no reply" telegrams, and did liot stipulate that he should be notified. McKinnon admitted using "no reply" telegrams frequently, and identified i eleven, telegrams addressed "A. Joseph, Box 263, Napier," which was Yeo's business name and address, as having been sent by him and signed "Symons." Several telegrams addressed to "Jack Walker, Wellington," and "Ahvit, Christchurch," and signed "Mitford," were also handed in by him. In regard to telegrams of August 13 to Ahvit and Walker, on both of which it is alleged there were erasures, McKinnon said', "I, in the first instance, wrote the word 'Membo' in, but later erased that and printed in the word, us I usually do, so as to ensure no mistake in the spelling of the name." McKinnon admitted having received cheques of £10, £5 and £179 from Yeo, and having paid them into his account. <s On August 24," 'said McKinnon, "I sent a telegram to Joseph, with the text 'Plying Prince,' and signed 'Dan Symons,' handing it in at the telegraph counter about 4.30 p.m. I remember I was working in my garden during the afternoon, and came to town about that time. I do not know the man who was at the counter. When I handed in the wire I am sure it was before the starting time of the race, otherwise I would not have sent it." "Not Party to Any Delay." The statement then went on to refer to the failure to receive an acknowledgment from Yeo and to later correspondence and communications through Symons. Another telegram referred to was one reading "P. Kitson, Mascot, Hatherall," which McKinnon said he sent at Hatherall's request. ( All the telegrams sent to Joseph, Alwit and Walker had been handed in at the correct time according to instructions. He had' never approached any telegraph officials to delay telegrams and time them wrongly. If any had been unduly delayed he was not a party to it. Concluding his statement he, McKinnon, said he did not know a telegraph employee named Fountain, but he could identify him as the counter clerk from the description given. The only member of the telegraph staff lie knew was Hands, who had' installed a wireless set for him. '

Fountain's Statement. In his statement, the accused Fountain said that 'he had been on the counter for some months. The practice was to send the telegrams to the operators immediately, although; if busy, this might be delayed five minutes at most. He knew McKinnon, who frequently sent betting telegrams. Six of the telegrams exhibited had been received by him from McKinnon. They were all signed "Symons," but four were endorsed by McKinnon, and the other two signed Symons, were in McKinnon's handwriting. He had never delayed telegrams for McKinnon, who always asked for messages to be timed as soon as they were handed in. McKinnon had called I to see him on September 12, but never | mentioned having a dispute with a bookmaker. He was satisfied that the telegram with reference to "Membo" had been traced, but was- sure the erasure was there before it was counted by him. "In regard to the telegram addressed 'Joseph,'as follows, 'Flying Prince, Dan Symons.' I was on duty on the day that was sent," Fountain said. "I am unable to say how the original of that message has gone astray, and I am unable to say how the telegram was coded up seven words when obviously there are nine." In a subsequent statement Fountain admitted that fifteen telegrams received by him on August 13 had been inadvertently timed back an hour. He had corrected some, but the operators had altered the others. He was unable to account for the delay of sixteen minutes in the dispatch of two of the telegrams, addressed _ "Alwit" and "Walker/' but was positive it was not intentional'-'on his part. I