"DOLORES."

Auckland Star, Volume LXIII, Issue 226, 23 September 1932, Page 7

"DOLORES."

SUMMONS FOR DEBT. SAILING FOR ENGLAND. LUCRATIVE OFFER REPORTED MAGISTRATE'S COMMENTS. More than the Intending traveller's usual share of trouble was met with by Claude McLaughlin, otherwise known in , Auckland spiritualistic circles as Claude Dolores, a psychic medium, who had I arranged to leave by the Maunganui this afternoon for Australia, en route to England, where, it is stated, he is to fulfil a contract to take part in seances in London. It is reported that an Auckland accountant yesterday received on behalf I of McLaughlin a cabled offer to pay him an opening fee of £1000, with a possibility of a second contract to the amount of £5000, for sittings of "sleep writing" and demonstrations of psychic phenomena. The message was forwarded to Auckland by Mrs. Margaret Mas-pherson, of Manurewa, who went %o London to negotiate for McLaughlin. It is further stated that the whole project ha.B been sponsored by a London newspaper syndicate, and that Lord Bea,verbrook i-s interested in Dolores' trip to England. ' Before Mr. F. K. Hunt, S.M., took hi 3 seat on the bench at the Police Court this morning he was requested to deal with a judgment summons matter in which Dolores was the principal. Several solicitors, with Dolores and others, filed into the auxiliary courtroom upstairs at 0.60, when counsel for a tram conductor who had previously obtained judgment against Dolores for .£ll 1/6, asked the magistrate to deal with an urgent matter. "I understand that this man McLaughlin, or Dolores, is sailing by the Maunganui .for Australia en route to England this afternoon at three o'clock," said counsel . appearing against McLaughlin. "This process to recover the amount of my client's judgment against McLaughlin has been brought at short notice. This debt is over a year old, and we consider he should-pay it before hj sails." • "Just Walking Around." Mr. Hunt (to McLaughlin): Why don't you pay your debts before you go away ? —I have no money. Do you do a-ny work?—No, the doctor told me 'I was not to work for 12 months. I recently had an accident, when I was knocked down by a motor car. I didn't, know this debt was owing. Mr. Hunt: Oh, that's nonsense. Counsel: Judgment was obtained-in May of last year in respect of two £5 notes obtained by McLaughlin from my client by theft, over a fortune-telling matter and by a trick. The amount, together with costs, is £11 1/6. Counsel then asked McLaughlin what he had been doing since he came out of gaol. McLaughlin: Oh, just walking around. Have you not been telling fortunes?— No. \ But what about all the stuff that has been written up about you by a weekly paper?—Oh, that occurred before I went to gaol. Counsel: That's not correct; it was afterwards.

Mr. Hunt: If you have no money, how are you going home to England? How much is the fare?—l don't know. I have been given my boat- ticket. Mr. Hunt: Well, I won't have you leaving the country without paying your debts. You are ordered to pay this money due forthwith, in default 14 days' imprisonment. McLaughlin: But, sir, I am going— The Magistrate: That's enough, take him away. "■ McLaughlin went downstairs to the bailiff's room, and after a discussion he was allowed to depart, to endeavour to raise the £11 odd he had been ordered to. pay, or else go to prison for 14 days. McLaughlin was to return to the bailiff at 12.30, but at 1 p.m. the bailiff was still waiting for him. He then left for Mclaughlin's residence Sn search for him.

"I'm Sailing."

Shortly after 2 p.m. "Dolores" "drove uj) in a taxi to his residence in Newton, and in reply to an inquiry said, "Yes, everything's fixed up, and I'm sailing."