"A MEAN SWINDLE"

Evening Post, Volume CXIV, Issue 103, 28 October 1932, Page 9

"A MEAN SWINDLE"

1 FORGERY AND UTTERING

EX-SECRETARY'S OFFENCE

(By Telegraph.—Press Association.) CHEISTCHTJECH, 27th October. Pleading not guilty to seven charges of forgery and seven charges of uttering, Herbert Edwin Barnsle}', aged 52, an accountant, and late secretary and treasurer to the Labour Defence League, but now on relief works, stood trial this morning before Mr. Justice Ostler and a jury.

It was alleged that Barnsley had accepted money from the Mayor's Eelief. Fund for distribution to the dependants of nieii imprisoned as a, result of the disturbances in May, that'ho had forged the signatures of seven women without giving them their money (3s iv eacH case); and that he. had returned forged receipts of the City Council, tondering them as genuine receipts.

The. Crown Prosecutor said that the Labour Defence League had been formed to help the imprisoned men. and their dependants, and Barnslcy was appointed secretary and treasurer. The league had a benevolent section, on which, a man named White,was secretary., '' The Mayor's Belief Fund authorities had decided to grant the dependants of the imprisoned men 3s per week each. The sum of 36s was paid by the council's cashier to White, who paid, three women. Then, as he had to go to a job, he gave the receipts and 27s to Barnslcy, who was to carry on with the distribution. On 27th July, the accused returned twelve receipts which were accepted as genuine, and.'was given, another 36s for distribution. Trouble theji arose, women complaining that they had not received their money. When charged by the women with failing to give them the money, Barnsley had maintained that he had been busy and had handed on the money to another man who had brought him back the receipts. "He still maintains that," said Mr., Donnelly, "but he refuses to give the name of the man to whom he gave the money. It is the trumped-up excuse of the perpetrator of a mean and disreputable swindle," Barnslcy was found guilty on »11 counts. . '

Thomas Jennings Davenport was fined £10 by Mr. T. B. McNeil, S.M., at the Magistrate's Court this after-, noon, for negligent driving. The conviction was ordered to be endorsed on the defendant's licence.