FARM HAND TRIES FORGERY

Evening Star, Issue 19351, 10 September 1926, Page 11

FARM HAND TRIES FORGERY

A BRIEF CAREER [Pek United Press Association.] CHRISTCHURCH, September 9. Yesterday a farm band, to-day a temporarily successful forger. That was Henry Blackwell, aged twenty, but bis sojourn in the higher criminal circles was short-lived. He flew too high for his wings, and the crash brought him into the Police Court today. Ho stole a blank cheque, made it payable to another man whose name ho “borrowed,” aud came to Christchurch. Hero an unsuspicious hotelkeeper cashed the cheque, and on the proceeds Blackwell bought clothing, tripped to southern towns, and regaled himself with drinks and cigarettes; and then the police brought the holiday to an abrupt ending. Ho came before Mr H. A. Young, S.M., to-day charged with forging the name of A. Boucher to a cheque drawn on the Union Bank of Australia, and causing Allan V. Dodd to act upon it as if it were genuine. Allan Vincent Dodd, proprietor of the Trocadcro Private Hotel, said that accused called at 1 lie hotel at 11 a.m. on September 1 anu booked a room for himself and his brother for a week, giving the name of G. Tate. In pay-"' mtoit of the room he presented a cheque which witness cashed, giving accused £22 12s. That aUcruuoii witness presented the cheque at the hank, and was told that the signature “ A. Boucher” was irregular. Leslie M. Brian, ledgerkoepcr at the Union Bank of Australia, said that Mr Boucher had an account at the hank, but the signature on the cheque produced was not his. The cheque, however, was out of his book. Mr Brassingtou: Quite a clumsy forgery. is it not? . . Witness: As a matter of fact it is rather a good one. Mr Boucher usually signs “ Allred Boucher,” and this cheque is signed “ A. Boucher.” Accused was arrested at Ashburton, said Deioctive N. W. Bayliss, and made a statement to the Ashburton police in which he said that ho had been working for T. Stevenson at Spotswood, Parmissus, until August 30, when he left. On August 27 or 28 he was occupying a room in the sumo house as Allred Boucher, who had a room next to bus. About 8 o’clock at night, when Boucher was absent, accused went into his room and took a blank cheque trom the book of Boucher’s cheque book, which he then returned to lJio otiier man’s coat, pocket. He filled iu the cheque, making it payable to G. Tate for £27 12s, and signed it “ xh. Boucher.” Accused Jiad never met a man called Tate, but he had heard people talking of him. Accused bought clothing and cigarettes, and spent several pounds on drinks in Timaru and Christchurch. Accused had nothing to say. He pleaded guilty, and was committed to the Supreme Court for sentence.