“A NOTORIOUS LIAR”

Dominion, Volume 20, Issue 14, 12 October 1926, Page 10

“A NOTORIOUS LIAR”

SEVEN THEFT AND FRAUD CHARGES * NUMEROUS PEOPLE VICTIMISED Bt tbsegraph.—pbbss Association. Auckland, October 11. “She is a notorious liar, and we cannot believe a word she tells us. She and her husband are two out-and-out frauds,” was the unsolicited testimony which Senior Detective Hammond tendered Mr. F. K. Hunt, S.M., in the Magistrate’s Court this morning about Muriel Forbes Reid (27) and her husband. Mrs. Forbes was charged with incurring a debt of Ils. 3d. with Hannah 11. Lee, and obtaining that sum by fraud; incurring a debt of £6 3s. 10d. with Winifred Emma Burton and obtaining credit by fraud; obtaining £2 from Hannah Lee with intent to defraud by falsely stating she required money to proceed to Palmerston North to her husband, who had been killed in a motor accident; obtaining credit from Emma Doyle by a similar false pretence ; theft of a gramophone valued at £l4, the property of La Gloria Gramophone Company, Wanganui; theft of georgette and crepe de chine, valued at £l, the property of Emma Alary Walker, and obtaining from George and Doughty goods and money of a total value of £lO 10s, bv means of a valueless cheque. Accused pleaded guilty to all charges. Senior-Detective Hammond said that accused’s husband had been working on a station on the Wanganui River, but had got into trouble bv issuing a series of valueless cheques. Accused came to Auckland from Wanganui in August last. At Wanganui she purchased a gramophone on the hire purchase system, paying a deposit of £2. As the machine which she was buying had not arrived she was lent another one by the firm. She had been living at Castlecliff at the time, but came to Auckland, bringing the gramophone with her and storing it in Auckland. Accused took a furnished house on the Great South Road at a weekly rental of £!. and kept a maidservant. She told various people stories about her husband and got money bv false pre. fences. As a matter of fact, at the time she obtained the money she was on remand charged with the theft of a gramophone. She had got bail at Wanganui and gone to Marton, where she told the railway authorities there a tale about a lost purse, with the result that she was given a first-class ticket and a sleeping berth to Auckland. There were two other Wellington charges to be preferred against Mrs. Forbes, but it was doubtful whether it would be any use in proceeding with them. Accused had three children and was at present in a certain physical state. Two other children were in homes in Wellington

Major Annie Gordon, probation officer,’ said that, although- it was not a case for probation, under the circumstances practically the only course open was to grant her probation. Accused’s mother was prepared to look after her in Wellington. Mr. Hunt: Tf it was not for her condition T know where T would send her. Accused was remanded until Thursday for sentence.