CONFIDENCE TRICK

Evening Star, Issue 23128, 30 November 1938, Page 10

CONFIDENCE TRICK

VICTIM HOPED TO MAKE THOUSANDS A MYTHICAL DOUBLE A confidence trick by means . of which an ingenuous farm labourer was relieved of £l2O of his savings was exploded in the Police Court to-day, when Maurice O’Connor (34) pleaded guilty to two charges of false pretence, the story related by the victim being to the effect that he believed O’Connor’s story that he was a racehorse owner and trainer.

Placing his trust in .O’Connor, the jvictim, to use his own words, “in! the hope of making thousands ” out of a double, advanced him two sums of £lls and £5, accused having previously declared that he was sure to win and that he was driving Royal Romance in one race and another horse that was sure to win the double. Actually Royal Romance was not among the nominations.

The charges against O’Connor were that on November 21, with intent to defraud, he obtained from Denis Nolan the sums of £lls and £5 respectively by falsely representing that he was Maurice Holmes, a racehorse owner and trainer, and that he was going to drive the trotting horse Royal Romance at Forbury Park Trotting Meeting on November 24. Mr J. R. Bartholomew, S.M., was on the bench and Chief-detective Holmes prosecuted, Mr C. J. L. White appearing for the accused. THE COMPLAINANT’S STORY. Denis Nolan, a farm labourer, at present residing in Dunedin, said he arrived here on November 13 with the intention of attending the Forbury Park Trotting Club’s Meeting on November 24 and 26. Witness had been staying at the Empire Hotel in Christchurch, and about 4 p.m. on Monday, November 21, the accused came up to him outside the Grand Hotel and told him that he had met him at the Empire Hotel in Christchurch. He also said that, witness had met accused’s wife there and had had a drink with her. Witness replied, “ I don’t know, 1 may have met your wife.” Witness said that the accused had gone on to say that his name was Maurice Holmes, the racehorse owner, ahd that he was the trainer of Royal Romance, adding that he had driven more trotters than any other man in New Zealand. He said that he was going to drive Royal Romance' at Forbury on November 24,-and that he was also going to drive .another horse and was sure to win the_ double. He asked if witness would like to invest £5 on this double, and said, “ 1 am sure to win.” Believing the accused’s story, witness gave him £5 to invest on the understanding that he; would back the double. The accused then suggested that witness should invest more than £5., and arranged to meet witness at the' G.P.O. on the morning of November 22. He also extended an invitation to witness to come out to Forbury Park on the same morning at 4 o’clock and see his horses working. Witness said it was too early for him. HOPED TO MAKE THOUSANDS. Witness duly kept the appointment at the Post Office, and in response to a further request by the acoused drew £ls to invest on the double. This he gave to the accused, who then hired a taxi, and together they drove to outside Forbury Park, ostensibly to see the accused’s horses. The accused went into a house, came out again, and as, they were walking back towards town said: “ You are going to make thousands out of this double; what about giving me another hundred to put on?” Witness agreed, whereupon the accused told him that ho would give him a job in his stables in Christchurch, and that he would be able to make a lot of money there, as he would be able to do up the training tracks and other jobs. After a call at another hotel, the accused hired another" taxi, and they drove to- the 6.P.0., where witness drew a further £IOO from the Savings Bank. Together they went to the - Bank of New Zealand, where witness cashed the cheque fori £IOO, and they then left and went towards the City Hotel. Outside the hotel the accused asked witness for the money, and this was handed to him in £5 notes, whereupon the accused made an appointment to meet witness outside the Oban Hotel. The accused 1 came along in a taxi and asked witness for another £SO to put on the horses, as he wished to make £3,000 or £4,000. The doubles, he said, would be between 33 to 1 and 25 to 1. They then arranged to meet at 4 o’clock on the afternoon of November 22. _ On several occasions, witness continued, the accused told him that Royal Romance was one of his horses, and that he would reveal the name of the second horse when they met on the following day. Witness would not have parted with the £l2O had the accused nob led him to believe that he was Maurice Holmes, and that he would be driving that horse at Forbury Park on November 24. To Mr White: The accused was a complete stranger to witness, who was not told the name of the other “ leg ” of the double, and witness did not inquire what it was. Witness went out to Forbury to have a look at these horses, but he did not see them. It was witness’s desire to make thousands that led him to advance the accused this money. His Worship (drily); One horn every minute. . . , Alexander M‘Kin!ay,_ a taxi driver, gave evidence of having driven the accused and the witness Nolan out to Forbury Park. During the drive the accused told him that he had better “be on Royal Romance,” and added that he had better back Credit Funds also. Witness heard him say to Nolan that they would do what they had to do when they got back. He told them that he had a Chrysler car and that he intended getting a Ford V 8 when he returned to Christchurch. Clarence Rae Caffin. secretary ol the Forbury Park Trotting Club, gave evidence that Royal Romance was not among the nominations for either day of the club’s spring meeting. ACCUSED’S ADMISSION. 1 Detective-sergeant le Sueur said that >shortly after midday on November 22 he went into the Bank of New Zealand, where he saw the accused talking to Nolan. He said: “ Hullo, Maurice, are you trying to make some easy monev?” To this the accused replied that he had plenty of money of jus own. During the conversation, with the accused the latter assured him that he was not getting any money from Nolan. Accused later stated that there was no need to worry about he was not doing anything “ crook. He was going to work for Nolan, who was a friend of his family. Detective-sergeant Hall said that when he interviewed the accused the latter denied that ho knew, anything

about getting any money. from Nolaa, but he subsequently admitted’that h* bad received it. . He would, however, give no explanation as to the jcircumstances. Witness recovered £25 Is. 6d. which the -accused still had in his possession, and the accused gave him authority to hand.£2s back to Nolan. The accused pleaded guilty to eacn charge, and was committed to' the Supreme Court for sentence.