MOTOR-CAR BURNED

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 171, 19 April 1928, Page 15

MOTOR-CAR BURNED

ATTEMPT TO DEFRAUD INSURANCE COMPANY TWO MEN COMMITTED FOR ,SENTENCE The methods employed by two men who sought to defraud un insurance company of a sum of money were disclosed in the Magistrate's Court yesterday, when Donald Gillies, a .plasterer, aged 31, and John George I'urev, a salesman, aged 19, were charged with conspiring to defraud the National insurance Company, Ltd., of £9O. Alessrs. A. A. Gower and H. U• Lloyd, J.P.’s, were on the Bench. Chief-Detective Ward prosecuted, Mr. W. E. Leicester appeared for Gillies, and Air. P. Keesing for Furey. Vernon Meredeth Edgar, manager of the Wellington branch of the National Insurance Compnay, Ltd., said that on January 21 a proposal form was received from Donald Gillies for the insurance of a motor-car, the proposed insurance being for £9O. This was granted. On the morning of Alarch 28 Gillies called at the office and informed witness that the car had been stolen from Allen Street the previous evening. The theft had been reported to the police. On March 30 lie again called at the office and said the car had been found somewhere in Karori- He filed in a form in which he said the police had found the motor-car, which had been burned. The remains of the car were inspected, and it was found to be practically destroyed. Had the claim been paid out Gillies would probablv have received £9O, but the matter did not get to the stage of paying out. Acting-Detective Harding stated that on March 29 he discovered the remains of the burned car in a gully at Karori. The next day witness interviewed Gillies, and asked him if hjs previous statement made to the Taranaki Street police on March 27, concerning the loss of the car, was correct. He said it was. After further inquiries had been made, witness, together with Acting-Detective Hayhurst, interviewed Gillies on. March 30, and told him that he was not satisfied that the complaint regarding the theft of the car was genuine, and that he considered that he (Gillies) had some definite knowledge of the manner in which the car was destroyed. Gillies denied this, saying

that liis previous statement was correct. Witness told Gillies he had reason to believe that the car had been seen in South Karori at the same time as it was supposed to have been in Allen ’Street. Accused then asked whether, if lie gave up his claim on the insurance company, the matter would end there. Gillies then said that he knew who burned the car, and that he was not present at the time. Gillies said that lie and another man, whose name he did not wish to disclose, had gone out to South Karori, on the evening of Alarch 27, with the object of destroying the car, so that the insurance on it could be claimed. Gillies later accompanied witness to find Furey, whom they met in Newtown. Accused later said to Furey: “Tell the tiuth, Jack. I have made a full statement, admitting everything. It is the best thing to do.” Furey then made a_ statement, admitting his part in the affair, and that he was to receive £5 of the insurance money. In his statement, Furey had said that, at Karori, he poured two bortles of kerosene over the car, after which he set fire to it. Furey accompanied witness and Hayhurst to Karori, and on seeing the remains of the car, said: “Well, I mad® a job of ’t.” A match box, smelling of kerosene, which was found near the burned car, was exhibited by witness. Air Keesing asked witness whether he knew that Gillies was supposed to have hypnotised Furey sometimes. Witness replied that Furey had told him that that was so. Furev had told witness that lie had met Gillies nt a spiritualists’ church about four years ago. Witness was not prepared to sav whose was the master mind in the conspiracy. In answer to Air. Keesing, witness said that he did not think that much cunning and ingenuity had been shown in the working of the plot. Air. Keesing contended that Furey’s part bad been crudelv and carelessly carried out. Air. Leicester (to witness) : You don’t suggest to the Court that Furer was under the hypnotic influence of Gillies nt the time of the offence? Witness: No, the matter was discussed over several davs. Mr. Leicester: His actions, I take it, were due to live spirits—not dead ones. (Laughter.) Both accused pleaded gnilt.v and were committed to the Supreme Court for sentence.