'READ THEIR BUMPS.'

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 152, 30 June 1939, Page 14

'READ THEIR BUMPS.'

GIPSY WOMAN.

ELDERLY MEN VICTIMISED.

THEFT CHARGES FOLLOW.

(By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.) WTTAXCiARET. this day. A story of how some people are relieved nf their savings was unfolded in the T'oliep Court to-day l.oforp Mr. <!. X. Morris. S.M.. wlipn Lizzie Stewart (.SO), of no fixpil abode, pleaded guilty to stealing fir> in money, (lie property of lliclniril 0. Rvrne. and £1. th« property of Frederick Xicbolls. at New Plymouth. Detective .1. 15. Finlay, who jiro«eeuted. said tltat accused, wlio was a iiipinlior of a liand o« sipsies. travellinl under tile ptiisp of a plirenolonist. ''Slip read my l)iim])s at the exhibition but T cannot say whether they were correct. They certainly feathered my vanity,*' said the dc'.oetive, amid lanahter. He said that accused selectpd old men. "ilie older i!ie better." and while readinjr

tlieir fortunes, felt their pocketfi at the -nine time. "She would then tell them that she could not do it properly unless their money was removed, which in these two cases was done, Byrne handing her it number of £."> notes. When the money was returned, an argument arose as to how in licit money had been handed over," continued Mr. Finlay. "In the case of Xicholls five £1 notes had. been iiivcti accused and only four returned. "Accused had had previous convictions in N'ew Zealand and Australia for this tvpe of olTciiee and it is fairly obvious titat these two cases before the Court are not. isolated ones." The detective said that accused's "husband considered that as his wife was a pipsy. and would be a mother .shortly, for ilie eighth time, imprisonment would kill her. Going to Australia. Mr. T.. A. Harrison, for accused: It seems that fools and tlieir money are soon parted. Mr. Morris: That is so. Mr. Harrison: All the money lias now been refunded. Mr. Finlay: Not the £t. Mr. Harrison said accused and ner husband intended po'in;,' to Australia and he asked for leniency in view of accused's condition. If a line was imposed accused and her husband would ■rive up their stand at the Winter Kxhibition and leave Whangarei to-day. Mr. Morris »"id it was just a question as to whether the fact of accused l.eiit" a uipsy might have been the cause of leniency bein? extended in the past. There was a certain amount of truth in the statement that gipsies could not stand their liberty beinj; curtailed, but this sort of tliiitLT could not <*o on. In view of accused's list of previous convictions, he would be entitled to »ive her six. mouths' imprisonment without the option, but in view of her present state of health, and the fact that she was a gipsy, he did not want to do that, as.it might kill her. \ecused was lined £20 on the first charae and convicted and ordered to I refund -tl "" t»« »econd. Mr. Morris said it had to lie understood that the •sentence was conditional upon accused and her husband leaving Whangarei within 24 hours.