ALLEGED RINGING-IN

Evening Star, Issue 18627, 7 May 1924, Page 10

ALLEGED RINGING-IN

THE DINGO-KINGSDALE CASE TWENTY WITNESSES CALLED. The hearing of tho. four charges against John Richards and Walter Leonard Janies Cameron of conspiring to defraud by substituting tlie trotter “ The Dingo ” for the trotter ‘‘ Kingsdalo ” at tho Gore Trotting Meeting last September was continued yesterday afternoon. Mr*A. C. Hanlon appeared for Richards, and Mr J. S. Sinclair for Cameron.

CROWN PROSECUTOR'S ADDRESS. Continuing iiis address to the jury in tho aftornooAi, the- Crown Prosecutor said that another great mistake whi#h Cameron had made was to register Kingsdale two days before the Lauder horse arrived in Dunedin. The horse in the police station yard was tho one which was raced at Gore. It was not known what had happened to tho horse purchased at Lauder. Kingsdalo should never have been registered until tho arrival of the horse from Lauder. Tho horse registered as Kingsdalo was not tho Lauder horse, although Kingsdalo was described as the Lauder horse." Kingsdalo had disappeared from tho scone. Whether it was sold or destroyed was not known. It would be perfectly easy, however, for men in such a position to destroy the horse, and that was prdhably what was done. The question arose as to what horse it was, Hiatt was shown to Mr Janies when particulars were being obtained for registration, ■\Vilhrn a week of the registration Cameron had received a good trotting horse under an assumed name, at dead of night at Waitati. The inference was that the horse shown to Air James was The Dingo, and tins jury should have no difficulty in arriving at that conclusion. If tho hoise which was raced at Gore as Kingsdale was not Tho Dingo, what horse was it. The Crown could only find out a little here and there, but there’were those who knew ail the facts, and could give plenty ot evidence if they cared. If tho defence asked them to believe that tho horse raced at Gore was not Tho Dingo, thou why should the defence not tell them what horse it was ? If the horse was not The Dingo, where, was The Dingo? If the Crown was not able to clear up those mysteries, why did the two accused not do so ? A man named Butterfield, who rode Tho Dingo in races when Mr M’Neill owned" the horse, would state in evidence that tho horse raced at Gore was, in his opinion, Tho Dingo. If anyone knew The Dingo, Mr Butterfield should. Then there would be the evidence of Mr Martin, a Canterbury veterinary surgeon, who would say that he had fired 'flic Dingo (a leg operation), and that he knew it weil. Learned counsel went on to state that, if the horse which won at Core was the horse from Lauder (as Hated by licensed), then .the age of miracles had not passed. No doubt the £l7 paid was the full value of the horse which was afterwards to make such _ a remarkable performance. Cameron himself rode the horse at Gore. Of tho £126 10s which was put on the horse called Kingsdale at Gore, £IOO came from Richards, and £3 from Cameron, and the remaining £23 10s came from tho general public. The horse paid a very substantial dividend. Learned counsel said the performance at Gore was a. very extraordinary performance on tho part of an unbroken, untrained horse, picked up casually in Central Otago. He thought tho jury would have no difficulty in deciding that the horse bought at Lauder was not capable of the Gore performance. Mr Adams’s address lasted for about two and a-quarter hours. THE EVIDENCE.

Patrick M'Neill, farmer, Lauriston, said that ho owned The Dingo, but parted ■with it on September 11. The horse was eleven years old when he sold it. The horse had started cm thirty different occasions. He had' won two races, and had Jast won at Now Brighton three years ago. His time on that occasion was 2min 14 3-ssec. Ho last raced him on August, 1923, and then turned him out. Ho did not continue to train him. He received a letter from “A. Dalziel,” Dunback, offering to purchase the horse, and ho replied stating that ho wanted £IOO for it. The offer was accepted, and he trucked the horse to Waitati on September 15. Mr Martin, tho veterinary surgeon, “ fired ” the horse. Witness saw a horse that morning at Grant’s stables, and to the best of his belief it resembled The Dingo, barring its height. Ho considered that the horse ho sold was taller than the cno he saw.

To Mr Sinclair: Ho had been breeding trotting, horses for a considerable time. When he registered the horse ho gave the height as 16 hands 2iin. His Honor: A big'horse.

Continuing, witness said that he did not think the horse ho saw that morning was 16 hands high. It was two years ago since Mr Martin had “ tired ” his horse. The horse had not been “ fired ” in any particular way. To Mr Adams: He could not say whether age would affect the height. To His Honor: The secretary of the Methven Racing Club checked his description, though he took it for granted. Johann Fitzgerald, postmistress, Dunback, stated that on September 14 last she received a letter from “ A. Dalziel,” asking her to readdress correspondence to Outram and White. She readdressed either two or three letters, but did not receive any telegrams. She d'u not know any person by the name of Dalziel. Francis Walter Allan, railway porter, stationed at Waitati, said that at midnight on September 14 a man called at the Waitati station for a horse that had been consigned at Lauriston. Witness could not identify the person who came for the horse, as ho only carried a small hand lamp. The book had been signed “A. Dalziel.”

Henry Albert White, partner in the firm, of Outram and White, chemists, South Dunedin, said that he did not know the accused Cameron, but knew Richards well. He had business dealings with him. He could not say whether Richards was about his shop last September, but it was quite possible that he was. He did not know a person named “Alex. Dalziel.” His film had. two shops, and correspondence addressed to Outram and White would go to the one managed by Mr Outran.

Harold William Rushworth Outram, partner in the firm of Outram and White, said that all tlio mail addressed to his firm came to the shop which he attended. Letters which were not for his firm were put on a ledge at the back of the counter. He did not know the accused Cameron, but knew Richards. He had been in his shop about half a dozen times. He could not say whether accused was in his shop on September or October of last year. Richards had never asked him for any letters, hut he used his telephone on several occasions.

Constable Connor, stationed at Waitati, said that ho knew the district well, but did not know anybody of the name of “ Alex. Dalziel.” He had been in the district twenty-one years.

Frederick William Wilson, farmer, Lauder, said that ho was interested in trotters from an amateur’s point of view. He knew the two accused. They were at his place some time in the spring of last year. He could not say exactly which month it was. Richards told him that he had a buyer for the right horse, stating that it was Cameron. They said that they would like a horse by King Daphne, but would only pay £2O. Witness showed them a King Daphne horse, which he thought was the makings of a trotter. He asked about £IOO for it. They did not make a purchase, though he showed them another one. He then put them in touch with a- farmer named Donnelly, stating that he thought Donnelly had a light horse.

To Mr Sinclair: He could not say whether he told the accused where Donnelly lived. The witness M‘Neill, recalled at the request of Mr Ilknlon, said in reply to His Honor that he measured The Dingo himteif for registration.

Isaac M‘Queen, railway porter at Lauder, said he remembered a horse being consigned to Dunedin on September 23. A truck was ordered for tho horse on September 20, and on tho 21st Patrick Donnelly brought tho hoilee to bo loaded. Witness re-ordered the truck for tho 22nd. Witness saw the horse through tho door. It seemed pretty wild. It was consigned to Cameron, Dunedin. Alfred George Austin, clerk in the railway goods office, Dunedin, produced a consignment note for a horse consigned from E. Donnelly, Lauder, to W. Cameron, Dunedin. The horse arrived on September 22. Harry Logie James, secretary of the Forlmrv Park Trotting Club, said he knew both accused. On September 20 of last year Cameron colled on witness, and said he had a horse to register. Witness went to a stable in South Dunedin. Cameron had a registration form, which he gave to witness. Witness forwarded the form to the Trotting Association. Mr Adams read the description of tho horse, registered under the name of Kingsdale, as contained on the registration form. Witness went on to say that he had since seen a horse in tho Southern Stables. To the best of his knowledge ho though! it was tho same horse as was produced for registration. Cameron had registered no other horse. To Mr Sinclair, witness said lie walked round the horse to check the particulars on the paper which Cameron gave tfim. Ho admitted that he may have suggested something about hair near tho eyes, but lie had forgotten. His Honor: What steps did yon take to find the height of the horse?

Witness; I took ids word for it. John Donald Forbes, secretary of the Oamaru Trotting Club, said that his club held a meeting on Labor Day, 1923. Nominations closed on October 5 or 6. The Dingo was nominated for the Oamaru Trotting Club Handicap. The horse was nominated by telegram, and this was confirmed by a" letter signed “ A. Dalziel,” and later received The Dingo's acceptance. Ho then wired “ A. Dalziel/’ Dunback, asking for particulars of trainer, colors, etc., but received a message from the postmistress slating that “ A. Dalziel " was not known to her. Next day lie received a telegram scratching The Dingo. The horse’s name appeared in the acceptances and the race book. To Mr Sinclair: The Dingo's colors were given to him as brown and yellow sleeves. He presumed these were the colors of “ A. Dalziel.” Frank Gunn, secretary of the Gore Trotting Club, said the Spring Meeting was held on September 20 and 22, 1923. Ho received a nomination for a horse named Kingsdale, and ho produced the nomination form, which was signed by W. Cameron. He afterwards received a letter, which stated that Cameron had omitted to mention that Kingsdalo had no previous experience. Kingsdale ' won the race in 2min 24 2-ssec, Cameron riding tho horse, which was on the limit. The race was worth £95 to the winner. Tho horse was backed to the extent of £126 10s on the totalisator, the dividend being £ll 17s &1 for £l. The horse did not start on the second day.

To Air Sinclair, witness said Kingsdale won the race approximately by two lengths. It was usual to pay out the stake at the expiration of fourteen days. It was at the instigation of the Trotting Association that payment of the stake, was withheld. Cameron had offered to allow' an inspection of tho horse by tho officials of the club or an outsider. To Mr Adams; The stake had now been paid over to tho owner of the second horse.

David Brittain Cameron, fanner, residing at Outram, said that he had a private track on his farm. Ho knew the accused Richards, who saw him at tho latter end of September, and asked him for the use of his track. Cameron brought the horse out. This was about a fortnight or three weeks after his conversation with Richards, and about a week before Labor Day. He witnessed a trial of tho horse, which went a mile in 2min 29sec. lie was present at another trial, when the horse went a mile in 2min 39sec. The track was very heavy. He heard the horse called Sir Ella by accused. He -never heard the horse referred to as Kingsdaie. 110 did not see the accused at his place since tho Gore races.

Henry Thomas Trevena, saddler, said that Richards called on him just before the Gore races, and asked for a loan of a set of pacing hobbles, which were retained for about a fortnight. William Francis James, totalisator proprietor, said that ho conducted the machine at the October meeting of tho Gore Racing Club. He saw Richards at the meeting just before the first race. Ho asked witness for a commission book, and Richards ’gave him an open cheque.

His Honor: Doesn’t tho club run a risk of being “ had ” ? Witness; There is some risk, hut I have never been “had” vet.

Continuing, witness said that Richards put £IOO on Kingsdaie in the seventh race. The horse returned a dividend of £ll 17s 6d for £l. He sent Richards a cheque for £1,187 10s, and returned tho open cheque. The total amount on Ringsclalo was £126 10s. Richards made no other bets at the meeting. At 5.20 p.m. the court was adjourned until 10 a.m. to-dav.