ATTEMPTED BLACKMAIL

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 139, 15 June 1931, Page 9

ATTEMPTED BLACKMAIL

OF ANGLICAN BISHOP

A YOUTH'S LAPSE

(From "The Post's" Representative.) SYDNEY, 3rd June. ' The story of how a youth attempted to blackmail the Anglican Bishop of Goulburn (Dr. Eadford) was unfolded at the Gonlburn Quarter Sessions when Edwin Cosmo do Satge \vas bound over to bo of good behaviour for three years and to come up for sentence when called upon. It was related in Court that de Satgo went to Goulburn with two girls, and that ho had approached Dr. Badford saying that he had seen him visiting a flat at Parsley Bay, Sydney, and threatening to expose him unless £100 was forthcoming. . "You have a mother, who, I havo no doubt, was very good to you all your life. In return for that,you have committed the most despicable crime in the whole criminal code, not even excepting murder," Judge Coylo told tho accused, who had pleaded guilty. Dr. Badford, giving evidence, said that he wished to say publicly that he had nothing to hide, disguise, or explain. "Pour days ago," he added, "de Satge wrote me a straightforward letter, in which he said that he was profoundly sorry for his unwarranted conduct, and that whatever was coming to him, he was determined to make good. If he is pleading guilty, and it is a question of assessing his guilt, I would like to say that I believe that ho is the least guilty of those concerned in the matter." Judge Coyle said that he had received a letter in the same strain as that received by the Bishop. Sergeant Thornley said that he had known de Satge for five years, and that ho had borne, a splendid character. His Honour: "How, then, do you account for this?" "I am convinced that those shedevils put him up to it," replied the sergeant. "They drugged hitai_ with gin and sent him to the Bishop. Actually these girls came to victimise a squatter. I have been told that one of the girls attempted to borrow £10 from a man in Bose Bay on ■ the pretence that she was going to be married in Goulburn. Tho idea was to get this squatter in a, position so that they could blackmail him." I

His Honour (to accused): "I have read your letter, and I agree with the Bishop. It has a ring of sincerity about it. You chose the vilest means of extorting money, and you chose a man who has not a spot on his character as your, victim. That in itself shows that you are not the real type of blackmailer. In view of your temerity in trying to put this silly tale over such a.man as Dr. Badford, it convinces me that you were guilty of a very stupid act."