MAN’S THREATS TO SOLICITOR

Press, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22242, 5 November 1937, Page 8

MAN’S THREATS TO SOLICITOR

OBSESSION SUGGESTED BY | POLICE » iriVES3 T2.L.EGC.&-M.S.) DUNEDIN, November 4. Threats against a solicitor, whose firm he alleged had defrauded him. j resulted in the appearance in the Magistrate’s Court of a contractor, Alfred Melville James, who was bound over to keep the peace. Complaints for securities of the peace were made against James by the solicitor, while a criminal charge, which was withdrawn, was that on October 2 he sent a letter to the Commissioner of Police (Mr D. J. Cummings) containing threats to do griev- ■ ous bodily harm to the solicitor. James ! consented to be bound over. Chief-Detective Bruce Young said that James had apparently been under some obsession that he had been defrauded by a certain firm of solicitors, land had written continually to the police. The matter had been fully m- ; vestigated, and no truth was found in the accused’s 1 allegations. Then James began writing threatening letters, and at last made a threat against the solicitor. The charge was then made, but the Commissioner of Police suggested that the case could be met by the accused entering into a surety. Counsel for the accused said that there was no suggestion of blackmail. James now realised that he must rely on his civil rights if he wanted an investigation. : James was bound over in his own surety of £2OO for 12 months.