A £28,000 SHOCK

Greymouth Evening Star, 13 April 1927, Page 8

A £28,000 SHOCK

EXCUSE FOR BEING DRUNK.

i Have you any explanation to give? asked the Grimsby magistrate to the bronzed youngfisherman who stood in the dock, on a charge of being drunk. “Yes, . Your Worship,the pian, William Andrews, replied, “I’ve had a bit of misfortune. I’ve lost an uncle. The shock upset me, and I got very drunk.” .

The magistrate looked sympathetic. . . ..

! The police explained that Andrews was a well-behaved man, and .this was his first lapse. The ?:circumstances were exceptional. “Andrews’ uncle has lef-t-him.a-legacy•• - /‘Twenty-eight thousand ...pounds,” the accused chimed in, with a broad smile. . ■ : • : • n?.. ' ' “Discharged,”.-said the: Bench.; .

Andrews received;:the 'news/ when he returned from a' week’s buffeting in a North Sea gale. “No' more -fishing for me,” he . cried, and distributed' his fisherman’s kit among his - friends. Other celebrations followed, and finally. the lucky fisherman arrived at the police station-in a. taxi-cab. --I ■ ■

‘7 have been a fishermap ever since I was a boy,” he said, ■in telling his story. “My uncle, David Mach -Andrews, carried on a cutlery < business in London, and invested his money shrewdly. A ,few years ago he. retired, worth cPbout £100;0QQ. ~; There were,jfive beneficiaries; a]together. “I am going off :to London; Straight-raway; My -future? plan.s?-r-I can’t, say, blit no more fishing, that’s certain!”