THE TEMPERANCE IMPOSTOR.

Evening Post, Volume XLIV, Issue 47, 24 August 1892, Page 2

THE TEMPERANCE IMPOSTOR.

? LAWSON, THE MAN OF ALIASES, BE' FORE THE COURT. " Herbert Wilfrid Lawson," alias Gifford, alias Clapham, alias Challis, alias Rhodes, appeared at the Magistrate's Court this morning charged with having on the 20th July last obtained the sum of £7 from John Flockton by means of false pretences. The prisoner is doooribed in the Police Gazette as Frederick Claphain, a clerk, 26 years of age, a native of Bradford, Yorkshire, England. He is a man of apparently about 28 years of age, rather gentlemanly in appearance, of light complexion, and ho wears a straw-coloured moustache, bnt otherwise is clean-shaved. Mr. Coates appeared for the defence, and Messrs. J. Dunn, S. Dransfield, and W. Littlojohn were tho presiding Justices. John Flockton, dealer, Manners-street, said that prior to the 20th July last he had only known the prisoner for a few days. On the day in question the accused entered his shop at about 11 a.m. rather hurriedly. He said he was rather short of money, and had intended going by train to Auckland with the Rev. Mr. Walker, but on arriving at the railway station Mr. Walker had told him that he was short of money, and he (tho accused) had handed him all the cosh he had at the time in his possession. Prisoner then told witness that he had transferred his banking account to Auckland, and would be glad if he (Mr. Flockton) would exchange cheques, so as to enable him to procure a roturn ticket by the s.s. Southern Cross. He asked for a cheque for £6 10s, but subsequently said he would prefer a cheque for £7. Prisoner wrote out a cheque for £7 on the Bank of New Zealand, Auckland, which ho post-dated. Witness then exchanged cheques, and accused left the shop. Some days prior to this the prisoner had called upon witness and his fathor, and had introduced himsolf as being a son of Sir Wilfred Lawson, M.P. The prisoner's cheque was lodged in the bank for collection, and was returned marked "No Account." Accused told witness that he was a Temperance leoturer, and had lectured in Invercargill for the Temperance party there, and that he was also billed to lecture in Auckland on a certain date ; he also said he had spoken in the Congregational Church, Courtenayplace, and in the day school at Newtown. Thomas Butts, clerk in the To Aro branch of the Bank of New Zealand, gave evidence as to tho prisoner having cashed Mr. Flockton's choqne for £7 on the 20th July last. The cheque was endorsed " H. W. Lawson" in the witnoss' presonce. The other chequo produced, signed " Herbert Wilfrid Lawson," was lodged in the branch for collection by Mr. J. Flockton. William Woodhouse, assistant bill clork in the Bank of New Zealand, Auckland, deposed that H. W. Lawson had no account in tho Auckland branch. This was the case for the prosecution. The prisonor reserved his defence, and was committed for trial at tho criminal sessions to be holden in Wellington on Monday next. Bail was not asked for. LAWSON'S ANTECEDENTS. Tho prisoner's career has been an extraordinary one, but it would take too much space to trace his footsteps beyond a few months back, when he was released from prison in Christchurch, after having expiated two separate forgeries committed in 1890, for which he received two years' imprisonment. Gifford, whilst "doing his timo" in Lyttelton Gaol, apparently conceived the laudable determination of eschewing sack and leading a cleanly life for the future. In other words, he determined to becomo a Temperance locturer. With this end in view he managed to introduce himself to the leaders of the movement in the Cathedral City as Wilfrid Herbert Lawson, and being a plausible man, and endowed with consummate impudence, shrewdness, and some wit, he insinuated himself into the good graces of not a few of the total abstainers of Christchurch. In several instances he managed to borrow sums of money from them on the score that remittances from his esteemed fathor, Sir Wilfrid Lawson, M.P., were hourly expected. Gifford, however, by some means or other, was " bowled out by a minister of religion in Sydenham. who formerly lived in Wellington. The impostor managed to get some money from tho parson, who, when he discovered he had been deceived, gave Gifford a clear receipt in tho shape of a good horsewhipping. The fellow next turned up in this city, where ho put up at the Occidental Hotel, signing tho guest book as " Mr. Herbert Wilfrid Lawson, Penrith, Cumberland." Wilfrid allowed no grass to grow under his feet, for without delay he began calling upon the Temperance people here. As evidence of good faith ho showed what purported to be his diploma from the Cambridge University as Master of Arts. Armed with this, the good name of the genuine Sir Wilfrid, and, above all, with his intense desire to do what he could to raise the fallen by means of his burning words of eloquence, young " Lawson " commenced his mission in this city. A crusade against tho demon drink was entered upon, and young Lawson by his great energy and his determination to scotch the serpent won to himself troops of friends. Meetings were organised, and the Opera House was secured, but, alas ! whon the night came the " popular young lecturer" was not there. He had missed the train from Masterton. He was announced to speak at a church, but ho failed to put in an appearance. Ugly rumours began to circulate. The protender's wardrobe set people talking, and, truth to say, his garments were somewhat seedy. His remittances from " my father" did not come to hand. " Would you, my dear sir, assist mo in this decidedly unpleasant dilemma?" became Wilfred's stock-in-trade enquiry. Cheques began to fly about, and at last Lawson gave it out that ho had transferred his banking account to Auckland, his next placo of call. He got funds on this pretence from Mr. Flockton and others, and with the money so acquired he slipped away to the North by tho s.s. Southern Cross without beat of drum. Lawson was lavish in the way he entertained his fellow passengers on the sea trip. Whilst adhering to his teototal principles himself, he by no means objected to treating his friends to the best liquors onboard, and he himself smoked only tho best Regalias and Havanas to bo got on tho steamer. Everything consumed by Lawson and his frionds in the grog and smoke department was " stuck up," however. The man was quite open and candid in his dealings with the providore. who was informed that he would be paid directly ho could get to the bank at Auckland. " Now, old boy," said Lawson, just beforo the boat made fast to tho Auckland wharf, " I'm going to Btay at the Grand Hotel. Mind you come up early to-morrow with your account, and we'll crack a bottle of ' fizz.' " The confiding providore went to the Grand, but thoro was no suoh guest as " Mr. H. Wilfrid Lawson" thero. Upon landing Lawson made straight for the Auckland office of Messrs. Baker Bros., where ho extended the hand of friendship to Mr. James Baker. That gentleman, however, had been informed of his visitor's little games by his brothers in Wellington, and Mr Lawson was informed that if he did noL in a quarter of an hour refund certain money advanced in Wellington he would be handed over to the police. The fellow managed to get away on tho pretence of going to the bank, and no more was seen of him in Auckland for a time. He next turned up at Hamilton, where he put up at the Commercial Hotel, from whioh hostelry he issued a circular in the following terms, from which it will be observed that henceforth Wilfrid Lawson had made his exit from tho stage, and Mr. Gifford had taken his place ;—"; — " Tuition in Painting. — Mr. H. T. Gifford, B.A. (late scholar of Trinity College, Cambridge, Medallist South Kensington School of Art, and formerly Junior Art Master, Salt Schools, Saltaire, Yorkshire), has the pleasure of informing the residents of Hamilton and neighbourhood that he has decided to permanently remain in Hamilton to give lessons in painting (oils and water-colours). Pupils may enter upon their course at any timo, tho term commencing with tho first lesson. Mr. Gifford has limited the number of his pupils to 25. Letters may be left with and information re foes obtained from Mr. G. C. Manning, bookseller, &c, Hamilton, who will also supply materials required by students. References as to Mr. Gifford' s ability are kindly permitted to Mr. John Gibb, Christchnrch, and to David Gillies, Esq., J.P., Dunedin; English references to the Seoretary, Royal Academy of Artists, London. References as to Mr. Gifford'a character are kindly permitted to Rev. J. J. Lewison, Wellington." The announcement created quite a flutter in art circles in the Waikato, and Mr. Gifford soon had some 10 or 12 pupila at £2 2s per quarter. A brother artist very nnkindly, and actuated no doubt by unworthy and jealous motives, denounced Gifford as a fraud, and the police by this time having recovered the lost trail, Gifford was arrested for passing a, valueless cheque upon Mr. J. Flockton in Wellington. At the time he was arrested he had only a penny upon him, and his luggage was very scanty. Amongst Mr. Gifford's belongings ; when apprehended, were a number of credentials and testimonials, but these, so experts say, are all written by the same ' hand.