FALSE PRETENCES.

Press, Volume LXIX, Issue 20907, 14 July 1933, Page 8

FALSE PRETENCES.

; * YOUNG MAN SENT TO GAOL. (rKESS ASSOCIATION TELE<Jailt.) AUCKLAND, July 13. "His was one of the greatest frauds ever put across in this country," said Detective-Sergeant McHugh, in the Magistrate's Court, when Frederick Joseph Huddlestone, 25, a clerk, appeared on 13 charges of imposing on persons by falsely representing that certain sums of the money were for fidelity bonds in the business of "J. Oppenheim and Co., bankers." He pleaded guilty, and was sentenced to two years' imprisonment with hard labour. Detective-Seigeant McHugh said that accused on January 23 booked at a city hotel as "J. Oppenheim," and advertised for an accountant at £BOO, and a clerk at £330. He interviewed numerous men, engaged an office, and said that the firm was opening branches in many towns. Many of the men gave up permaneht positions and paid him £4 17s 6d for fidelity bonds. When his associates were arrested, accused disappeared, but was found at Waipawa under another name, and working on another scheme. Detective-Sergeant McHugh also said that numerous tradesmen and working people had been victimised as goods had been obtained and work dbne which had never been paid for. Huddlestone was no sooner out of gaol than he was scheming to take others down. He had defrauded persons in Hamilton and Pukekohe. He had no Pity on young or old. They were all the same to nim. Accused's counsel said that he a married man with a wife and' Child and was unemployed when he devised his scheme. The Magistrate said that he would be kept out of the wax for two year&,