A BOGUS HERO.

Press, Volume LI, Issue 15218, 4 March 1915, Page 4

A BOGUS HERO.

(ntOM ODB OWS COBHESPONBINTOSYDNEY, February 26

"''Arthur William Coleman, alias Ed-■ mund William Lews Ward, aged 34 " years, . who .was at one time in New Zealand, has mado himself conspicuous by his raro audacity amongst tho considerable number of persons who Hare lately practised deceit and fraud in the pretended character of warriors of the Empire. Coleman. or Ward, drifted into the town of Albury. on tho Vic-torian-New South Wales border- Ho gavo himself out to be mander of our new but already famous warship Sydney. Ho was enthusiastically welcomed at the leading club in the place, handsomely treated by the cjtiisens, and generally had a splendid time. A natitical officer's uniform which he wore helped hint to sustain hie rolo of. hero. He was even taken in state to a patriotic gathering of lads whom ho addressed in a. speech, giving an account of the sinking of the Gorman warship Emden. with a great wealth of picturesque detail. , The lads were deeply stirred and cheered tho , "hero" frantically. But tho police be- ' came euepicious, and. Coleman, alias Ward, was haled, before a Magistrate on tho oharßO of wrongfully worn a colourable imitation of a naval officer's uniform. Hβ pleaded guilty, bu6 said that the uniform was such as mer-" chant service men woro. and that he Rot it when ho was an engineer in tho service of tho Union Steam Ship Comnany of New' Zealand. A police officer . told the Court that the man had a quite substantial criminal record, dating back to 1901; when ho was convicted in London of having impersonated a policeman, arid including fraud, nerjury, and false pretences in Enijlnrd and Zealand. Ho was fined five nounds, with the alternative of a Inonth's imprisonment.