AMY MAUDE BOCK.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 498, 4 May 1909, Page 5

AMY MAUDE BOCK.

PROCEEDINGS IN COURT. the public caze not relished. COMMITTED FOR TRIAL. (BT TELEGRAM—I'UKSS ASSOCIATION.) Ounedln, May 3. By 9.30 o'clock this morning, an hour before opening timo, the City Police Court was packed by an eager crowd (including a sprinkling of tlie fair sex) anxious to boo Amy Maude Bock, who at 11.30 stepped into the dock to anawor the charge that blio did, on or about January 4, forge the name of John Roy to a receipt for £92, and did utter the same to ono Arthur Ellis. • • Mr. Mooro, who appeared for accused/said \ lie wished to say a few words before tho po- ' lice proceeded with tho case. The Court ' was lull of peoplo anxious to got a-' view of' accused. She felt, hor position a good deal, and tho public, gaze was not at all relished by her. Perhaps his Worship could see his way to allow her to have a chair with' her back to tho public. It would be only, a matter of kindness to do so. The Magistrate (Mr. Widdowson): Do you suggest accused is ill? Mr. Mooro: I say if she iB allowed to ' stand there in the, dock she will break down.., I saw . her this morning, and was quite oor- ' tain she was almost breaking down. It would bo an act of kindness to allow hor to sit. ■ ■' • , •■■ ■ ' His Worship (to Chief Detective Herbert): la accused delicate? .... . Chief Detective Herbert: I have no reason to believe that there is anything wrong with her. Judging by letters she. has written her- 1 Belf,' "She does not suffer from, any .organic disease." She is healthy, but not physically, powerful or very strong. > His: Worship: I don't see .why T should make any dilference• between , this accufiod and any. other accused person. -. : . Mr. Moore •' pointed . out. that tho trial might be a long one. AcoUßod had suffered during tho .', last few mouths, although it might not appear so to tho public. D.uring the time flho'had been-at The Nuggets, she had been in fear the-whole .time; and now , that the excitement of that was over she was more likely to collapse than then. ; His Worship: I cannot grant the application on tho grounds; on which you ask it. Chief Detective's Statement. - Chief-Detective Herbert said accused had intimated that, at the conclusion of the caso she intended pleading : guilty, and for that reason the case would be considerably shortr ened. by omitting' certain -evidence. .'- The . case would be proved . just the same, but without so many details, so alio would not bo ' detained very long. ' ■ T i. ■ The cbief-detoctive then opened tho caso. Accusod was, he said, for about seven months prior to January a domestic servant in ,the employ ,of .Mr. John Hoy, of 10-Beta ' Street, Roslyn, in the name of Agnes Vallance. About Christmas' Day Mr. Roy and his_ family left'home for a holiday,' and remained away .until: January -6, leaving ac- 1 . cused in sole charge, and the only occupantof tho house. On Docember 30 accused had an interview with Messrs. Butler .and Grey,,' financial and house and land agents. On that date she wrote a letter to that .-firm re< gardin'g a loan on the furniture of Mr. Roy. The letter was dated "10 Beta Street, Roslyn, 30/12/08," and stated: , ■ "Re loan £30 on furniture, and which you could not arrange before Thursday, I have wired and received a reply that • < the £80 I spoke of must be sent, to roach Christchurch not later than 12.30 on tho ' •7th January. If you can do thisj will you coma up on Monday to see the furniture? I will meet the. first train after 9:30. Kindly lot mo know at onoe, othsr- : wiso. I'will have to. go to Ctjristchurch and' dp l it myself. I don't want to do that, ■as I am only recovering, from , an attack, of influenza. Tho valuo of tho same can bo made out for £150 if you . agree to do tho business. . '> ■ ■ ■ . "(Signed) . ' V ■ "CHARLOTTE, SKEVINGTON." ' . She. represented herself by that name, and on receipt of this letter, Mr. Ellis was comr municated : with by Messrs; Butler and Gray. ! Mr. Ellis was a , flock manufacturer, ' and sometimes lent money on" household furni- . turo, and resided in Kaikorai' Valley. He saw her at lO ' Beta Street,- Rosljii. ■ Sho showed him tho;furniture, telling him it was . . liers. ■ She' showed him this receipt: v "August 3. Received from Miss Charlotto Skevington, the sum of £92, being . ( amount duo for furniture purchased by hor from mo, including piano. John .r Roy."'' ' ' ''. ■ An Inventory TaUen. By her showing tho receipt. Mr. Ellis was • satisfied, and took an inventory: .of . the : things in tho house, telling her that ho was I satisfied to give her a loan of £30, : which ■ she' asked for. ■ Ho referred her to bis-solici- | tor,'. Mr. D. Forsyth, who'- would complete ' | tho transaction. She called on Mr. Forsyth,'; tho following day to sign the necessary documents, and ho paid her £30 in cash, taking her receipt.. She went ,by name of Skeving- j ton, so_ that she was not known, by either ' Mr. Ellis or-Mr. Forsyth, in naioe of Agnes - . Vallanco! On tho 'same day, Mr. Roy and family 'returned home, and : she was thoro to receive them. 1 Air. Roy had ho knowledge of what .had occurrcd, and sho did not - communicate anything to him. Next morning (17tb) accused told Mr. Roy that hor brother, and a Miss Franklyn had coino to town by train tho day beforo; and she asked for a day oif to go and meet them.. Sho loft-that morning, and that was • tho last' Mr. Roy saw of her. Tho noxt thing that ' was heard of hor . was from a-lettor written' from Northdiast Valloy to Mr. Ellis. Writing over name of Agnes. Vallanco,;.she admitted having decoived Ellis, ' but '/under vory, very great temptation. She stated her name was Vallanco, and that Miss Skevington was a groat friend of. hers. ,- Sho J asked Mr. Roy not- ti put hor . in'gaol,- and promised. that he'; should lose ■ nothing by the transaction. She- said sho 'would not • loave Dunedin,. but would get work some-'"' wherd near, so he would always know whore she was.. . / . . ■ A Letter. Oil February 11 Mr; Forsyth received j letter signed "C. Skevington," to the offoct that Miss Vallajico had. told, her .about-tltf : trouble sho had got into'in trying to hell her brother. The writer asserted that Miss , Vallanco had a spotless rcrputa--.tion, and -she was going to help; her out of hor : trouble. , She. suggested that. Mr. Forsyth and Mr. Ellis should .fill in a promis- ' sory note for £50 payable on March 25, and' post it to hor,.addressed Miss ; Skenugton,.' Fitzgerald Avenue, Christchurch. She would sign it, and got her brother to back it, and Mr. Ellis could hold it as security instead of tho bill of sale. Fortnightly instalments Would be paid aB arranged. Tho Chief . Do- '• t-ectivo said for several weeks afterwards nothing was heard of accused.. Ho wont on to refer to tho arrest. 1 > Evidence was given ,by Arthur Ellis, John Roy, and Doteotiyo Hunt, after which Mr. Mooro said accused pleaded guilty; . ; Expression of Thanhs. In answer to the Clerk of tho Court, accused said:—: " I wish tf> plead guilty. • I would liko to express my thanks'to the police for tho kind way in which they have carried out their duties in t-liis matter, and also to tliank Mr. , and Mrs. Roy for the kind way in which ,Y was treated,while in service with them." . Mr. Mooro asked for bail. Chief Detective Herbert said that there would be throo other chargos/against accused. Dotectivo Hunt hod not yet been ablo to get to Tho Nuggets to complete the evidence. His Worship: Accused will be. committed to tho Supreme Court for sentonco. Tho quest-icif of bail can como up when tho othor cases arc heard. Accusod was then charged witli reviving ■ tho sum of £41 from Margaret Henderson ■ by means of . false pretences. -. . ' On the application of the Chiof Detective a remand was granted in this case until Friday. : ■