SPURIOUS STAMPS

Evening Star, Issue 21099, 11 May 1932, Page 11

SPURIOUS STAMPS

THREE ARRESTS IN SYDNEY BOGUS IRISH SWEEP TICKETS More than 60,000 alleged counterfeit twopenny stamps and the copper plates with which they are said to have been printed were the sensational discoveries made in early morning raids conducted by men of tho C. 1.8. and postal detectives at Sydney last week. Three men were arrested and charged. There was a further sensational development when Detective-sergeant Wickham and Sergeant Chuck recovered apparatus with which it is alleged bogus tickets had been printed for the Irish Free State sweep. The suspects are alleged to have been interested in an agency, embracing the Commonwealth and New Zealand, for tho Irish Free State sweep, and thousands of tickets which the arrested men are alleged to have been forwarding to clients are being examined by experts with a view to determining their genuineness.

Police action followed a suggestion by a postal employee that certain stamps on bulk correspondence were not genuine. Detectives Mitchell and Stevens, of the postal investigation branch, examined some of tho stamps. Many of them were of the ordinary twopenny variety. Others were similar in every detail to the commemorative Bridge issue. The postal detectives sought the aid of tho C. 1.8., and detectives kept a G.P.O. private box under observation. At 4.30 p.m. a man opened tho box and extracted a number of letters. The man next posted bulk mail for addresses in all States and New Zealand. Ho was still trailed by the detectives to an office in the city and back to the G.P.0., where he posted 200 letters. The man was taken to tho G.P.O. detective office and questioned by Mr Mitchell. In the meantime experts are alleged to have pronounced the stamps on the posted letters to bo forgeries. The man was then arrested. Tho detectives drove tho man to a house in Kensington, where, they say, they found £SOO worth of allegedly counterfeit stamps arranged in sheets. At another Kensington home the police state they found papers and correspondence relating to the Irish sweep. A man in the house was arrested and charged under tho Lotteries Act. At 2 a.m. tho police went to Mortdale, wakened a man from sleep, and took him to an office in Elizabeth street, where, it is alleged, they found the copper plates which are said to have printed the stamps. The police say that bogus State lottery tickets were retailed at 13s 6d each, and were forwarded to thousands of people in the Commonwealth and in New Zealand. Charles Jackson (33) and Ernest William Helmsley (36), both clerks were charged at Central Police Court later that, on April 7,8, 20, 22, and 24 they had accepted money in respect of the purchase of tickets m a foreign lottery, “The Irish Free State’s Hospital Sweepstakes,” issued in Dublin in connection with the English Derby to be run on June 1. Jackson was also charged with having in his possession, on April 27, 1,200 sheets of counterfeit Commonwealth stamps. Sergeant Toole asked for a remand until May 5, hut Helmsley said he wanted to plead guilty and have his case heard. Objecting to this. Sergeant Toole said there was too mucli involved in the matters at present. “ It is alleged that these men made a block and printed tickets in Australia representing tickets in the Irish Free State’s Hospital Sweep. Tho tickets are forgeries. Jackson had postage stamps and blocks for tho stamps, which are forgeries also.” Jackson and Helmsley were remanded on £BO bail.

After they had left tjic coui't, Harry Stewart Elderfield (42), ah engraver, was charged with having, on or about April 12, counterfeited a stamp-making plate. Elderfield was also remanded on bail of £BO.