TRICK THAT FAILED

Evening Post, Volume CXVI, Issue 142, 13 December 1933, Page 11

TRICK THAT FAILED

ATTEMPT TO DEFRAUD

USE OF A POSTMARK

The unsuccessful attempt of a Chinese fruiterer .to defraud a Palmerston North man of £150 was revealed in the Magistrate's Court today when Joe Hoe, aged 45, pleaded 'guilty to a charge of attempting to obtain that amount by means of a false pretence. He was committed, by Mr. E. Page, S.M., to tho Supremo Court for sentence, bail being allowed in the' sum of £150 and one surety of £150. Detective-Sergeant L. Rovell described Hoe's scheme as rather unusual. He said that Hoe was in business in Wellington and had been betting with a Palmerston North bookmaker named Williams; There was an understanding between Williams and his clients that.bets posted or telegraphed before the starting of a 1 race would bo recognised. On October 13 Hoe rented a post office letter box in Wellington, and on October 19, the day of the Wellington races, he posted a letter to himself, care of the box. He left the envelope unsealed and wrote his name and address very lightly. He collected it from his box shortly after 8 a.m., the envelope bearing the Wellington .postmark. He rubbed his name and address off the envelope and type Williams's name and address on it. Proceeding to Palmerston North by train, he waited there until he heard tho result of the first race at Trentham, the winner of which paid quite a big divi: dend. , Hoe then, made out. a betting slip, backing the horse for £.16 10s for a win and £5 for a place. Included in the slip were other bets. He then posted the slip in the prepared envelope at Palmerston North and Williams received it. AVilliams queried the letter, which bore the Wellington and .the Palmerston North, postmarks, and Detective-Sergeant Hall interviewed Hoe, who admitted having sent it. Evidence was given by Charles Joseph Williams, an . agent, of Aroha Street, Palnierston North, of the receipt of the letter containing the betting slip. The winning horse, Walton Park, paid £14 odd, and Hoe stood to win £150 as the result of his betting, but witness did not pay out. In a statement made to DetectiveSergeant Hall and read by him in Court, Hoe, admitted the facts. He" said he had been betting heavily and had lost £600 or £700; He obtained the idea; of trying to defraud Williams by Teading of a similar case in Auckland. ■' . ' . "He was quite frank about the whole business," said the Detective-Sergeant to Mr. A. Hogg, who appeared for Hoe.