POSING AS A MAN.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 492, 27 April 1909, Page 2

POSING AS A MAN.

.. » ' WOMAN ARRESTED AT THE NUCCETS AN EXTRAORDINARY WEDDING. (Ny TKr.Eaturii—rnEss association.) _ , ; Dunodln, April 26. Considerable excitement was caused herfl to-day when it became known that a .woman, masquerading in men's clothes, had bceu ap< prohended by tho "police.' Tho circumstauceP connected with tlio case are most remark., able, and tho story is moro like a romanco than anything: else, Tho central figure is Amy liock, . alias Channel], alias Shannon, alias Vallauo,'alias Skevington,. alias: Percy (Jarol Redwood, a small, trim womaii about forty-nine years of age. Born in Victoria, alio came to New Zealand in 1881, and has been well known to the polico all over tho Dolninion. It is alleged that early in January. sho arrived in Dunedin and' obtained'a situation with , a lloslyn family by name of Roy, as a domestic. Tho family went for a holiday, and loft her in -charge' of: tho house. Sho is said-to. Jihyo forged lier.: master's namo to a receipt purporting to; sell . the furnituro, in the houso to her, and then called pn a: business man in Kaikorai \ r alley and \ suececded jn, convincing. him that tho receipt .was - genuine, with ; the result - that, she gave him a bill of. sale over the furnituro, and got £30 in return. Next day sho. disappeared; From that day until last Saturday detectives have held a warrant for hoi arrest, on a charge of obtaining ' £30 by : a false pretence. J . ■ Sho appears to have' proceeded to tho Nuggets, and taken up her residenco uhder the namo of Percy Carol Redwood, ■ in 'a boartlinghouso kept by Mr. anil Mrs. Ottaway. With hair, cut short, and dressed in tho latest fashion, "Percy Redwood" booh became favourite at tho Nuggets. Ho. had plenty of money, a wealthy mother living at Hamilton, in the "Wnikato; and- a nice, gentlemanly manner. ■ ' "X'eSj" said a Dunedin resident in speaking of him, "I knew him, and ho was an all right . chap.. Ho had- plenty of, money, and if you wanted anything ho was the boy to buy it; for. you. We: to'tho theatre with him, and lie would have been'quite-dis-appointed if my wife and daughter had not gone with him. 31y daughter once said she liked applep, and he had a box sent to her, I,once said 1 would.like a parakeet, and he said lie would get ono for mo from- his uncle in Melbourne." . : "Mr.,; Redwood" appears to have found in Miss Ottaway, daughter of the boardinghousekeeper, aged about thirty-two, a most desirable acquaintance. A friendship sprung 'up which ripened, .and finally ended -with disastrous results, , the young lady's wedding ■ being celebrated on the 21st. instant..' ;■ • All this;tirao "Mr. Redwood" had had an abundant, supply of cash, and. tho. Ottaways ' were suspicious tat no time of their boarddr. Mrs. Ottaway : was nioro than satisfied! with his genuineness, -becauso there was'a Jotter written to her by his mother stating: "I have just, had a talk oyer tho marriage with my : boy, and am going to town to seo my . lawyer. ■ AVo havp decided to give Carol £3500, and I mil give another £1000, for house and furniture as ho wishes to live in Dunedin:" This' wasisigned "Frances; Redwood," but; apparently was' writton by ' 'Percy Redwood' ' himself.. Then there another lettel- b6aring the print of tho Auckland Drainage Board,and purporting to-be:from the secritary/of that board,' stating that as lie was retiring "Mr.' Redwood" ivas to bo appointed at a salary of £7 a week. Representatives of two Dunedin firms: also appear on tho sceno. Apparently "Mr, Redwood" had been to; them with documents giving detailed accounts of sheep and horses owned by him in tho AVaikato. Ho wanted a mortgage fixed Up, and ,one firm adviincbd £10 oh tlie; strength of supposed proof which was forthcoming being guaranteed by another Tirm, and tho firmwhich advanced'£lo forwarded a cheque for £130.- :' " .- iThe - warrant on- which prisoner.• was arrested charges her-with, about .tho middle, of January, 1 , obtaining £30 from Arthur Ellis by , means ' of'false pretelice. ''""Accused, it 'is: understood, has mado a'cleaiv,breast to this charge and"' also' other charges on which' she is liable to ho prosecuted. , ' • •' : . THE-STORY OF THE:WEDDING, , (Bt TELEGRAM—SrECIAI.-COKBESPONBENIf.), ' ' , ' ' . •' Dunetlln, April 26. , Amy, Bock,, who. has been .arrested: on a charge of obtaiuing;,£3o -.from' Arthur Ellis under false pretonccs, is a. little woman 49 years old..- The kdy who has been brought into notice as, tho bride is .the daughter of ; .a"' bonrdiiigbouso-keepor; at : the Nuggets.' It is [interesting to mention that the bride- , -'groom was measured and, suited at tho New Zealand Clothing Factory, and, although her •petito.' form required nothing ..moro; than, size. 13}' for collars and'shirts; no one suspected anything, amiss,, not even . tlio!; measurer.'; ' The wedding ceremony was performed by tlio Rev., fi. Calvert, Blathwayto (Anglican), assisted by tlio Rev. A. Dalrymplo , (Presbyterian). One of the Balclutha papers de- , scribed the feast and the dresses. The Rev. Mr. Dalrymplo., in proposing "Tlio bride and,; bridegroom," ; said all wore glad to welcomo Mt. Redwood, who came among them as a stranger, but' ho'was quite- satisfied that the i union would bo a happy olio. . It was in Mr. Redwood's power to. make it. - Mr. Malcolm, M.P., also spoke, and gave somo good advico to the' bridogroom,- the gist' of which was to hand the management of: affairs over to his partner when in idoubt. The bridegroom's, : gift to ,the bride was .a' set of silver-hacked; ■brushes.; ' Fortunately- for .'tlio -sake, bf -tho'i ; girl 'the honeymoon was. abandoned. ; At . ai ' timely, moment a'Dunedin ..resident, .wlio was : , suspicious .of! the bridegroom's ; sex, wisely spoke, of his suspicions, with tho, result that ; the couple did, not leave oh .their- proposed-'.' tour to Melbourne, for which: tho tickets had been purchased out of his own pocket,by a - friend; who subsequently returned tliem to-, 'tho shipping, company,, and had, his money - ,refunded. ■!'!On,, Friday, last, Chief Dotcctivo' . Herbert? and. Detective: Hunk, paidi a; visit to a boardinghouso in Dunedin, where. it was known that Amy Roclc liad stayed, and thews'., they found the woman's clething.On Satur-; : day Detective Hunt hurriedly took his dc- : parturb' for the Nuggets,; and - there, .that; night "arrested. "Jfr. Redwood,. whom the detective had previously surmised. was .110 othor- tlian Amy Bock. Ho was not.-; 1 mis,,ta.ken. Detectivo Hunt, calling: at, the Otta-. way's house,! asked to ,seo : "JMr. who came down the stairs smoking his pipe.; "Tho panic's Up, Amy," said the detective, and Amy merely answered "All right." Tlift. accused 'is a ; ,'very.; teniperato,' .woman;; '.slior .never .'drinks, but on. the day of tho., wed-: : ■ ding,.: in. order to'play licr,-part, sho • took soven whiskies, which sho.says nearly killed her. ■. : , '■