Rogue Of The West End

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 99, 29 April 1939, Page 9 (Supplement)

Rogue Of The West End

" A MAN who, for the past *» two years, has been living a Jekyll and Hyde existence in the ; West End, " was the description applied to 31-year-old William i Guy Alexander Wayte just before i he left the Old Bailey for the 1 seclusion of a cell after having , enjoyed the best that Mayfair , could offer. Many of his ' former friends, highlyplaced, titled society people, were | shocked to learn of the double" life led by thf man they knew only as a charm- • i n g personality, always a welcome figure ■ at West End parties. They were unaware that for some time past his activities had been : watched by the police, and that he had, according to a Scotland Yard officer, [ been fortunate to escape criminal prosecution for eo long. — A

It was after hearing the "Yard's" fascinating account of Wayte's life during the past 10 rears that Judge Beazley imposed sentence of nine months' imprisonment. Wayte had heen found guilty of obtaining goods by false pretences from two West End stores, and. at the Judge's direction, not guilty of obtaining credit "without disclosing he was an undischarged bankrupt. Wayte, a native of Weston-super-Mare, was editing the "Oxford and Cambridge Magazine" at 21 when he was made bankrupt with a deficiency of about £9000. He told the Court that he edited the publication after leaving Oxford; according to the police, he stated at his public examination in bankruptcy that he had never been to Oxford, but received his education by private tutor. Between 1927 and 1934 a Scotland Yard officer revealed, Wayte ran a business styled "Oxford and Cambridge Magazine" at premises in Fleet Street, and later in the Strand, and there were apwimillfl toH in +110 Wirrirvn f

accumulated deticiences in the region of •CIO.OOO before June, 1928. Wayte and his. brother, it was alleged, obtained £12,000 from the late Lady Houston in connection -tfith that concern, and other sums from other persons. The business was not a bona fide one, and it collapsed with heavy liabilities. Bankrupt Who Edited Journals During this same period, in 1932, came Wayte's one previous conviction— at Marlborough Street. London, for obtaining credit without disclosing he was an undischarged bankrupt. He was bound over for two years. The years 1030 and 193" found him occupying a suite of rooms in Bruton Street. Mavfair. running journals called "Motoring Annual'' and '•Hunting." Both concerns collapsed with appreciable liabilities. Banking accounts in connection with both were unsatisfactory, ami "Hunting," in fact, was started without capital. Wayte occupied premises in Queen Street. Mavfair. where he ran a concern called Hunting and Kacing. Limited. This business also was not bona fide, and it was wound up a year ago with deficiencies stated to be over £12.D00. The residential part .of the Queen Street premises was well appointed, but the furniture was not paid for and the rent was unpaid. Wayt'.'s most recent exj<eriment in magazines was "Society/" published from a luxurious] v-furnished tiireestorey house ir (_ .lestertield Street. Mayfair. He and his brother occupied the second and thir'l floors of the premises. Thte is whit the police had to say about this venture: About £320 rent was owing when the proceedings began;

approximately £600 was outstanding to 'the printer* of the magazine; the staff had been unpaid; the banking account was closed in 1938 with an overdraft and because of the undesirable handling of cheques; Wavte was the sole organiser behind the concern, though he stated he was employed only as editor. Wayte's activities as a publisher did not prevent him enjoying social life to the full. He mixed freely with wellknown and highly-placed society personalities. The police declared that for two years he had been living a "Jekyll and Hyde existence." He had lived on other people's money for years, and had ruined some people. He was blacklisted at all the elite hotel* of London because of bad cheques, and there were numerous County Court judgments outstanding against him. A few weeks a«r> he visited Paris and left a "no account" cheque for £35 at a well-known hotel. "I am bound to say, as a result of mv innuiries. that this man a nl.m.

inquiries, mai xnis man is a plana* ible, cunning scoundrel and utter rogne. He has been fortunate to escape criminal prosecution so long," declared De-tective-Sergeant Hannam, who made the police disclosure. "Inquiry in this case has been highly difficult because the type of person -with whom he lias associated is reluctant to come forward and the proceedings had to be pushed by the Commissioner of Police." Wayte was defended at his trial by Mr. Christmas Humphreys, who told the Court that during the past 10 year* the man had handled enormous sums of money and had not put a penny in his pocket. If Wayte were sent to prison his future would be absolutely nil and he would sjicnd the of his davs in the of the West Eml. Wayte declared in the witness-box, in reference to his bankruptcy, that more than 7-"> per cent of his debts were incurred before he came of age. He had paid nfT over £200(1 of them. He had not applied for his discharge from bankruptcy because ho wanted to pay all his debts and have his bankruptcy annulled. ♦ * ♦ ♦ HOW INSPECTOR PLAYFAIR Solved a Mystery, as outlined on page eight. YV HILE Mrs. Sliebmann and lier friends were out of the room Inspector I'layfair took possession of I'enckwich's half-eaten banana. The impressions of his "prominent front teeth" were as unmistakable as his fingerprints. A cast was taken of them, and compared with similar evidence obtained from the Picardy restaurant.