POSED AS MAGICIAN.

Auckland Star, Volume LXII, Issue 10, 13 January 1931, Page 9

POSED AS MAGICIAN.

ENTERTAINMENT AT NAPIER.

"IMPOSTER" SENT TO GAOL

FALSE PRETENCES CHARGE,

(By Telegraph.—Press Association.)

NAPIER, this clay.

Franklin Joh'n Smith, who recently gave an entertainment in Napier under the name of Carter the Great, was today convicted by Mr, A. M. Mowleni, S.M., on a charge of false pretences, and was sentenced to one month's imprisonment. There were seven separate charges, each accusing Smith of fraud in that lie obtained money from certain persons by inducing them to pay for admission to an entertainment by means of representing that the performers,, included the master magician, Carter the Great. Evidence was given that members of the audience expected 1 to see the magician by that name, whom they had seen some years ago, and were disappointed. The audience, generally, was dissatisfied, and counted out Smith. Counsel for the defence submitted that the use of the assumed name was not an offence, and also that the charges should have referred to "a" and not "the" master magician, Carter the Great. The magistrate said he was satisfied that Smith was an im poster. Leave was granted to appeal against the decision.