FALSE PRETENCES

Evening Post, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 22, 27 January 1915, Page 8

FALSE PRETENCES

Ambition and, apparently, irresponsibility led a young man named Samuel Robert William Smith into trouble. Before Mr. W. G. Riddell, at the Magistrate's Court this morning, he was charged on three separate informations with obtaining goods by false pretences, as follows :— (1) On 18th January, from Henry Frederick Davis, to the 'value of £9 15s 6d; (2) on 18th January, from Leonard Swanston West, goods to the value of £8 14s, the property of Littlejohn and Son; (3) on 16th January, from William Joseph Gini, goods to the value of £5 11s 9d, the property of Davis and Clater. The story told by Chief-Detective Boddam was that accused had a doubtful character, and had previously been an inmate of Burnham Industrial School. He had been liceris-. Ed out from that institution to a situation, which he, left for the purpose of joining the Expeditionary Force Reinforcements. He was not satisfied with the rank of private, do he went to a clothing dealer, and obtained a sergeant's uniform. Then his ambition soared, and he obtained a lieutenant's equipment. On the strength, of these clothes he obtained from a jeweller 'a wristlet watch and gold ring. Accused pleaded guilty to the charges. On his behalf, Mr. P. W. Jackson asked for leniency, Counsel said that accused, when he had taken a little drink, acted m a most ridiculous manner, and committed offences without motive and with the certainty of being discovered. The Magistrate granted a remand to 29th January, in order that enquiry might be made as to the best way of dealing with accused.