GREAT EXPECTATIONS

Evening Star, Issue 18998, 21 July 1925, Page 4

GREAT EXPECTATIONS

A FRAUD THAT FAILED WOMAN’S AMAZING CLAIMS. An attractive story of wealth that was to come to a woman, and on tho strength of which houses and fumituz-e were to bo paid for, was heard at Leeds Assizes. Elizabeth Laura Lazcnby and her husband, Francis Lazenhy, of Bell Vue Mouse, Linihorpe, Middlesbrough, Yorks, were charged with obtaining furniture worth £348 by false xiretences. Mr Matthew Gibson, an estate agent, of Middlesbrough, said that in February last he was visited by Air and Airs Lazenbv.

Mrs Lazenby, who did most of file business, said they wished to buy three houses, one at £7.‘10 and the other two at £720 each. She said she bad money coming to her under her father’s will, and also from her first husband, who bad died some years previously. She also spoke of money coming from shares in the P. and 0. Company, and that £I,OOO was coming from Egypt to her brother, Fergus MacDonald, who lived in a big house in Scotland. On her instructions Mr Gibson ordered the first house to he decorated and equipped with electric globes and similes to the value of £4O. A visit to a furniture store was also arranged. Furniture was chosen and sent into the house. When Mr Gibson visited the house in Linthorpe he was shown a photograph of a mansion in Scotland around which cattle were grazing. This, he was told, was the family seat. He had no idea that Mr and Mrs Lazenby occupied only one room of the house In Linthorpe. As the money did not arrive, Mr Gibson called frequently at the house. He was shown a letter which was apparently from the brother in Scotland. This said that the brother had received the draft from Egypt, ami would be in Middlesbrough to “settle up” the question of the houses, and to bring the £I,OOO. Mr and Mrs Lazenby then moved into the new house, hut the brother was always out when Mr Gibson called. At last the police were informed of the affair, and the couple arrested. Francis Lazenby, one of the defendants. said he had always been led to believe that money was coming to his wife. Tbdir marriage certificate showed that she was a spinster when he married her, hut shortly after the wedding she told him that 'she had been married before to a Captain Dundns. Answering Mr Palcy-Scott, who prosecuted, Mr Lazenby said he was not excited when he heard the £I,OOO was coming. Tt was nothing to get excited about. Mr Paloy-Seott: Rut think what you could do with £I,OOO. You could have retired; a house in the country; a bicvcle, and hundreds of other things. Mr Lazenby; I had a bicycle at that time. A roprospninfire of Mio TV nnr] O. Company said he had searched the share books, and found that defendants I had no shares in the company.