FRAUD ALLEGED.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 257, 30 October 1929, Page 10

FRAUD ALLEGED.

ELDERLY WOMAN CHARGED,

ENDORSEMENT OF A CHEQUE,

Charges of forging the endorsement of a cheque for £18 9/4 in the name of F. Shelton, forging two order papers, and stealing a letter containing the cheque were brought against Sarah Jane Brown, aged 64, before Mr. Justice Herdmau in the Supreme Court this morning.

Mr. Osburne Lilly prosecuted, and Mr R. A. Singer appeared for accused.

Evidence was given that accused lived at 11, Hardinge Street, in'a house owned by Shelton. A firm of land agents sent a cheque for £1S 9/4 to Shelton, and it was alleged that accused stole it, forged the endorsement and obtained goods for the full amount.

When interviewed, accused denied that she liad forged the endorsement. Her house was searched and none of the goods delivered under the order paid for by the cheque were found. In a statement, accused said that at the beginning of June a stranger stayed for one night at the boarding house in Hardingc Street. Before he arrived, two parcels were delivered, and on the following morning, the stranger asked for and was given them. He then left. The man gave his name as Foster Shelton, hut he said that he was not the landlord. He appeared to be much younger than Shelton. Much evidence regarding the signatures of both accused and Shelton was heard this morning, and photographs were produced by the Crown to show that there was variation in the writing and irregularities in the spelling. No Evidence for Defence.

After the luncheon adjournment, Mr. Singer, who appeared for Mrs. Brown, intimated that he would not call evidence. Addressing the jury, counsel said the facts were simple. There was no hesitation on Mrs. Brown's part to do everything she was asked to do by the detectivc. She had given every assistance in the matter. That, therefore, did not look as if she was guilty. Somebody forged the cheque.; but the Crown had not proved whom it was.

Sir Alexander Ilerdman, summing up, (raced the history of tiro case and said that tlicrn were five charges all arising out. of tlie one offence. Someone liad forged (lie cheque, but because (lie woman was living in the house, that alone should not convict her. A handwriting expert, however, had said in evidence that certain handwritings were similar. When the woman was asked to write out certain orders at dictation, similar words were spelled wrongly. Those were extraordinary instances of spelling in original and copied orders, the latter being written, but not spelled, at the dictation of the detective. If the jury thought the evidence was not sufficiently strong to convict then the verdict should he not guilty. If, on the other hand, they thought the evidence was in the other direction, then their duty was to bring in a verdict of not guilty. The jury retired at 2.40 p.m.

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