EX-CONSTABLE'S CASE

Evening Post, Volume LXXIX, Issue 109, 10 May 1910, Page 6

EX-CONSTABLE'S CASE

ALLEGED WHOLESALE FORGERIES. M'DERMOTT BEFORE THE SUPREME COURT. The cases in which an ex-constable named Patrick M'Dermott, alias Arthur Threlfo, is charged with forgery and uttering were Defore the Supreme Court to-day. The charges concerned tho forging of (1) a letter purporting to have been written by Roland Hatch and addressed to Dr. Fyffe, requesting the payment of £5 ; (2) a letter purporting to have been written by Henry Cutts to Owen Higgins, asking for £2 ; (3) a letter purporting' to be written by George Pearce to George Nash, asking for £3; (4) a letter purporting to be written by William Webb to Peter M'lntyre, asking for £2; (5) a letter purporting to bo written by Roley Eagar to M. J. Donnelly; and (6) a letter purporting to be written by Hugh M'Donald to Mary Quinn, asking foi £LO. All the cases allegedly occurred aboil* the end 6f January. Mr. Myers prosecuted and Mr. Webb defended. Mr. Myers, in opening the case, said' that accused's method was to find two people who were mutually acquainted. For instance, on 28th January last a letter, purporting to be written by Mr. Eagar, was received by Mr Donnelly, asking tho latter to leave £5 for*Chas. Carmonfc at the shop of Mr. Norman Aitken, and stating that he (EagarJ would return the £5 next morning at Trentham before the first race took place. If Mr. Donnelly had complied with i,he request ac wouid have been taken down to the extent of £5. The same method of procedure was adopted in each case. In most instances accused did not jtoceive the money, but in one or two cases money was actually sent in reply to letters. When accused was arrested in his possession was found notepaper exactly similar to that on which the alleged forgeries were written. In the cases where money had been obtained there were second counts of receiving money by false pretences. Marshall John Donnelly, license© of the Now Zealander Hotel, Mannersstreet, stated that he had received the letter produced and signed Roley Eagar, asking him to leave £5 at the shop of Norman Aitken, for Chas. Carmont. Witness did not leave the money. Norman Aitken, .bookseller, Charlottestreet, gave evidence that he- had received a letter signed 1 "E. Lowe," and later one signed "C. Carmont," asking him if letters addressed to either of these persons were received at his shop to keep them until called for by the individuals named. N Roi&y Eagar, horse trainer, Tesiding at Miramar, dsnied that he wrote the letter (produced) and signed with his name. He knew Mr. Donnelly and Carmont, but not the accused. Roland Hatch, jockey, denied that he had written the letter (produced). The letter purported to be written by Hatch to Dr. Fyffe, and stated that the writer had been asked by R. J. Mason to £5 for one Donovan at the Thistle Inn Hotel, and asking Dr. Fyffe to advance the money. It was mentioned that the case was an urgent one, and contained profuse apologies for troubling the doctor. Dr. Fyffe gave evidence that he had received the letter somo day& after it was posted. He was* away in Dunedin when it reached his house. Had he- been at home at the time he probably would have sent the money, b'ecauso he knew Hatch to be a good boy. THIRD" CASE. Mary Quinn, grocer, Tinakori-road, said she knew the accused. His mother took a couple of furnished rooms from her. Witness knew the Rev. Father M'Donnell. He was her nephew. Counsel here produced a letter dated 31st January, and purporting to be written from the Presbytery at Meanee. It contained a '-equest for £10. Mrs. Quinn said she sent the money as required. The writing in the letter was unlike that of her nephew, but she did not compare it with other letters ah" l^d icceived from Rev. Father M'Donnell. liev. .father M'Donnell denied having written the letter. (Proceeding.)