HECTIC FEW DAYS

Evening Star, Issue 21723, 18 May 1934, Page 6

HECTIC FEW DAYS

ORGY OF DRINKING AND GAMBLING MAH USES HIS FATHER'S CREDIT Issuing valueless cheques of a total value of £7B 0s Od in two days, Claude William Porter indulged in an orgy of drinking and gambling. His break from an honest life was compressed into eight days of hectic living, and ended when he gave himself up to the police. Evidence was given in the Police Court to-day, when Porter pleaded guilty to charges of false pretences involving £sl 0s 6d, that ho had signed his father’s name to the bogus cheques. The charges against Porter were of obtaining £2O from the D.S.A. by means of a valueless cheque for the sum of £2O, purporting to have been drawn by David Porter on the Bank of New South Wales; £ll 0s 6d from the D.S.A. by means of a valueless cheque for the sum of £ls, purporting to have been drawn by David Porter on the Bank of New Zealand; and at Outram obtaining £2O from Andrew Young Hendry by means of a valueless cheque, for £2O, purporting to have been drawn by David Porter on the Bank of New Zealand. Chief-detective Young said that Porter came from a very reputable family. On May 2 accused went to the Bank of New Zealand, where his father had an account, and obtained a cheque book in his father’s name. He then set out on a career of issuing valueless cheques. Ho went to the D.S.A. and tendered a cheque for £ls in payment of his father’s account, receiving £ll 0s 6d change. Later he filled in another cheque for £2O, and it was changed by the D.S.A. He then filled in two cheques (for £ls and £l2), and cashed them with two publicans, Heffernan and Cahill, who, however, would not make a charge against Porter. On May 4 accused went in a taxi to Outram and cashed a valueless cheque for £2O with Hendry, a baker. When interviewed by Detective Jenvey Porter admitted the offences. It appeared that accused spent all the money m drinking about the city and suburbs, as he possessed 6d onlv, when arrested on May 10. He was a single man, aged thirty-nine, and was an unemployed miner. This was his first appearance on a charge of dishonesty. . Mr C. J. L. White, who appeared tor the accused, said it was a pity to see a man of his character and antecedents before the court. The accused had a o-roat war record. Ho loft with tho Main Bodv when nineteen years of age, and served throughout tho war. Ho was twice severely wounded, and was decorated with tho Military Medal tilth a bar. On leaving the coal mine, whore Jii« reputation was of tho highest, Porter started out on an orgy of wasting money. The whole of the money had been spent on drinking and gambling. Accused had used his lather s good name to obtain credit. When m a drunken condition he had given himself up to the police. There was some possibility of restitution being made by his friends. His lapse was compressed into a hectic few days. Counsel asked that Porter should not be sent to gaol. Porter was remanded in custody tor a week.