AID IN ABSCONDING

Evening Post, Volume CXXI, Issue 36, 12 February 1936, Page 11

AID IN ABSCONDING

ALLEGATION AGAINST EX-DETECTIVE

SYDfIIEY CONSPIRACY CHARGE

SYDNEY, February 11,

Giving evidence today at the hearing of charges of conspiracy to defraud against John Ellis Findlay, Ernest Pierce Coombe, Charles Richard Tan.ser, and William Campbell, Madge Campbell, wife of one of the defendants, told of plans allegedly made to enable her husband, William Campbell, to abscond to New Zealand. On one occasion the ex-detective, Findlay, told her to go upstairs at the Hotel Australia as Detective James might recognise her. He also advised her not to go to the boat, as the water police might recognise her. . . As a matter of fact, Findlay assisted her to accompany her husband to New Zealand, where the pair was later arrested. She was discharged on bond. On one occasion she paid £30 to Findlay. Asked whether she had seen men with the Chargol mixture, Mrs. Campbell said: "I could not help seeing them. They were always messing about with it. Tanser never discussed anything else but Chargol. I got sick of the song." She added: "My husband had many aliases, and when he lived under another name I adopted it." AN OFFENSIVE REMARKWhile Mrs. Campbell was being cross-examined by her husband, Findlay made a remark, whereupon Campbell appealed to the bench to protect him, declaring that Findlay had called him a very offensive name. Findlay interjected: "I never used that word," adding, "Campbell is a liar if he says I did." The Crown prosecutor's assistant declared he had heard it. ' The Magistrate, Mr. Shepherd, ordered that Findlay be charged with contempt of Court and be dealt with later. When Findlay was later charged with contempt of Court he pleaded guilty and was fined 20s. Mrs. Campbell had not concluded her evidence when the Court adjourned.