CAREER OF FRAUD.

Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 65, 18 March 1930, Page 8

CAREER OF FRAUD.

MAN WITH CHEQUE BOOK. OPENED TRADING ACCOUNT. ASTONISHING SUCCESS. (By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.) HAMILTON, this day. A series of charges of false pretences involving a sum of £233 is pending against an elderly man named John. Ryan, aged 00. Ryan to-day pleaded guilty to three of the charges, representing £45. Mr. Hewitt, S.M., ordered him to come up for sentence when called upon, leaving it to the magistrate at Auckland, when additional charges are heard, to impose sentence. Detective-Sergeant Thompson said accused called at the Bank of New Zealand at Auckland in February, falsely represented his name to be "James Hamilton," and stated that he had a bank account at Paeroa. He received six cheque-forms in consequence. Later he called at the Farmers' Trading Co., made similar representations, and asked permission to open a. trading account. His story was believed, and he was allowed to operate on his account immediately, getting goods to the value of £50. "He presented a cheque for £100 and on the following day he presented a further cheque for a similar amount and was given a credit note for £200. He then got possession of a Farmers' Trading Co. cheque book, came to Hamilton and presented a cheque from it for £20 to the manager of the company's Hamilton branch. He next went to Tauranga and Matamata, where he cashed further cheques. "Returning to Hamilton, he opened an account at a local bank by depositing £15, receiving a cheque book. He returned to Auckland and cashed several valueless cheques.