WIFE ALLEGES FORGERY

Evening Star, Issue 21131, 17 June 1932, Page 11

WIFE ALLEGES FORGERY

INSURANCE COLLECTED BY HUSBAND [Pint United Press Association.] WELLINGTON, June 16. In the Supreme Court to-day the hearing was resumed before Mr Justice Reed of the case in which Mrs Elizabeth Ivy Johnson alleges that her husband, John Randolph Johnson, a builder, forged her signature and obtained insurance moneys payable to her under accident policies from the Australasian Temperance and General Mutual Life Assurance Society Ltd. and the Commercial Union Assurance Company Ltd. The morning’s evidence dealt mainly with the validity of the signatures on various insurance documents which are exhibits in tbo case. Doris Mary Brown, who knew Mrs Johnson, said that she remembered Mrs Johnson alleging that her husband had forged her name in connection with insurance papers. Recalled in reference to the evidence given by Mrs Brown, Mrs Johnson said that Mrs Brown did not visit her at the Bowen Street Hospital until after the operation. The only documents she signed were the claim form and two cheques for her husband which were signed at Levin. She took care not to sign anything to allow her husband to collect the money. Addressing the court, counsel for Johnson, the husband of the plaintiff, submitted that Mrs Johnson was not entitled to succeed owing to the time , she had allowed to elapse before taking proceedings. It had prejudiced the companies in obtaining evidence. Counsel further contended that the plaintiff’s story was extremely unreliable, and was possibly due to some reactional weakening of ■ her mental condition. Counsel also dealt with the question of signatures. His Honour remarked that his view was that the signatures were forgeries. Counsel went on to say that, Mrs Johnson had had the benefit of the insurance money on her property. Counsel for the insurance companies and the plaintiff will address the court in the morning.