FORGERY AND UTTERING.

Press, Volume LIX, Issue 11279, 21 May 1902, Page 5

FORGERY AND UTTERING.

ACCUSED PLEADS GUILTY.

At the Magistrate's Court yesterday before Mr R. Bee'tham, S.M., John Syme was charged with forging the name of. Frederick R. Flatman to a cheque for £4 5s 6d, "between the 24th March and 2nd April, and dealing with it as if genuine. Walter Halliday, licensee of the Wellington Hotel, deposed that he received the cheque in question (produced), between the days named, and paid it into the Union Bank. It was returned with a notice, that there 'was no account. Witness -could not sayrwjhether it was ihe accused who ut-' tered"'-the cheque. McLennan, clerk in the Bank of New Zeala_id,_stated that the cheque was presented at toe Union. Bank on tbe' 144 th April. It was dishonoured, and returned" marked "No account." The cheoue form was from a book (produced) issued to F. H. Musgrove on the 24th March. F. H. 'Musgrove, coal dealer, gave evidence that- the accused ''was in his employment from March 6th until May 13th. Cheque 203,2*6 bad.been stolen from witness's book, which was sometimes left in his coat pocket while the coat was hung up in the office. The writing on the cheque produced was like the" accused's. Frederick _«: Flatman, farmer, Geraldine, stated that the signature of the, cheque produced was a forgery. Constable Querke deposed, that in the course of bis investigations into the case he noticed a si___._rity between certain letters in Mr Musgrove's day book and the writing on the cheque. He saw the accused, and aske dliim when he was in -South Canterbury. He replied that be was there in January, and had worked forFla__i„n. Witness- then arrested .the accused, who stated that he knew nothing about the whole matter. A few minutes afterwardshe said, "I took the cheque book out of his pocket, and filled it ,in at the desk. I need not have done it, but I was up to my eyes in debt." The accused pleaded "Guilty," and was committed .to the Supreme Court for sentence.