ALLEGED FORGERY AND UTTERING.

Press, Volume XLVI, Issue 7360, 12 July 1889, Page 3

ALLEGED FORGERY AND UTTERING.

*iAt the City PolicejCourt yesterday mom ing, before Messrs R. Westenra and F. E. Wright, J.P.s, Charles Hillary Parker was charged with forging a cheque on the Bank of New Zealand at Kaiapoi tor £510s. purporting to be signed by £. Wilson, and uttering the same to Heroert S. Harris, Christchurch, on June 28th. Mr McConnel appeared for the accused. The case for the prosecution was that on the 28th June the accused tendered the cheque to Mr H. S. Harris, butcher, Armagh street, in payment of an account of 14s. He endorsed it at Harris' request. The sum of £A 16s was given ia change. Harris paid the cheque into his "ac count at the Bank of „New Zealand, ft was returned marked " Signature unlike." Harris saw the accused next day and spoke to him about the cheque, and he ottered to go and get the money. Harris did not see him again. Accused when arrested said that E. Wilson, of Camside, was not the Wilson whose signature was on the cheque. He then offered to pay the money. The witnesses called were Edward Wilson, Camside, Kaiapoi; J. T. Matthews, ledger-keeper in the Bank of New Zealand. Kaiapoi; Herbert S. Harris and Detective R, NeilL The accused was committed for .trial at the next sessions of the Supreme Court. He was further charged with forging a cheque on the Bank of New Zealand for £8 4s on Ist July, purporting to be signed by H. Johnston, of Leeston, and uttering the same to Thomas Thomson on 3rd July. The case for the prosecution was that the accused paid an account of £3 3s 5d to Thomas Thomson, hay and corn merchant, Victoria street, and he received a cheque from Thomson for £5 for the balance. The cheque given by the accused was endorsed by him. On being presented at the Bank it was returned, marked "No account." The witnesses called were the grosecutor, Thos. Thomson, E. C. W. ourtney (clerk in the Bank of New Zealand, Christchurch), G. W. Smith (clerk in the Bank at Leeston), and Detective R. Neill. The accused was committed for trial. Parker was also charged with forging a cheque on the Bank of Australasia, Timaru, for £5 14s, on or about the 4th of July, purporting to be signed by J. Wilson, and uttering the same to J. Sweeney, Christchurch, on July 4th. The evideuce showed that the accused went to the Golden Fleece Hotel, on the date mentioned, and tendered the cheque produced to Mr Sweeney, the licensee, in payment for a small account he owed. The word "Christchurch" on the cheque had been struck out and the word •'Timaru'' written in. Accused endorsed the cheque. The amount of the account was Bs, and the sum of £5 da was given in change. The accused said the cheque was all right, and that Wilson was in good circumstances. Next day a note (produced) was received by Mr Sweeney from the accused. The cheque had been taken from Mr Isaac Allen's cheque-book, and given to the accused at his request by a clerk named Jewiss, in Mr Allen's employ. There was no branch of the Bank of Australasia at Timaru, and no one of tbe name of J. Wilson had an account at the Bank of Australasia in Christchurch. The witnesses examined were J. Sweeney, A. Jewiss, and H. F. Greenwood. The accused, who reserved his defence in all the cases, was committed for trial. Mr McConnel applied for bail. which was fixed at accused in £200 and two sureties of £150 each. James Stewart, alias David Gray, alias Hall, alias Henry Derritt, was charged with forging a cheque on the Bank of Australia, Christchurch, for £10, purporting to be signed by David Scott, and uttering the same to Edward Recce and Sons, Christchurch, on the 20ch June. The accused was remanded to Lyttelton till the 17th inst.