FRAUD CHARGE

Greymouth Evening Star, 9 May 1930, Page 5

FRAUD CHARGE

DAUGHTER OF MILLIONAIRE.

LONDON, March 23.

A woman born in the United States, said to be the daughter of a former millionaire, and now a widow, living lately with her invalid mother at Burnham Terrace, Richmond, Surrey, was before Mr Gill at Westminster Police Court yesterday.

Giving her name as Mrs Grace Agnes Stewart-Andrews', and her age as 52, she was charged with attempting to obtain a gold cigarette case, valued at £3l/10/-, by fraud and false pretences from Harrods, Ltd,, Brompton Road. When the woman appeared before the Court a week ago, it was said that she had given a false name and address. Evidence was given that she represented herself as Mrs Paul E. Derrick, of Drayton Gardens, South Kensington, and that having selected the cigarette case and signed for it in the name of Mrs Derrick, she asked that it might be placed to her credit account. As a result of a telephone communication with Mrs Derrick, wife of the President of the American Society in England, the woman was give into custody. Mrs Adelaine May Derrick said she did not authorise the accused to buy a gold cigarette case. She knew her only slightly. In a written statement, which Mr Gill read, the accused said: “I want to ask you to let your sense of mercy and truth intercede for me. Nothing but a state of terror for the welfare of my little sick mother could have made me contemplate doing a dishonest thing even for a moment. Almost before it was done I realised that I must not do it, and I went back to the cashier in the jewellery department to tell her to have the case sent to Mrs Derrick in the morning. “I*lost £5OO a year on my husband’s death. Last year I did social introductions and shopping, using my grandmother’s name for business reasons. I had an -account at Harrods before the war, when I lived in Cadogan Square. Please do not let them force on me a monstrous thing like this and place a stigma on my name.” Detective Pride said the woman’s husband died about five years ago.' She was born in America, and came to England more than thirty years ago. Her father, Mr Edgar Packham, was an American millionaire at one time, but did not leave much money at death. For a time the accused and her mother lived beyond their means, and as a result they were now almost penniless. Recently she had advertised for a partner to start a business. Her mother had been removed from their apartments to the Richmond Infirmary, as they owed £2O for rent. Recently the accused had been introducing people to another woman named Rowan in connection with buying and selling silk stockings. About £2,000 had been obtained by the woman mentioned, who had disappeared. Of late the accused had been living on the commission she had received. She had been using the name of “Miss Morell Thompson” for the purpose of introducing people into Society.

Accused: The officer has mentioned that I introduced people to Mrs Rowan. I accepted her on her face value. I knew little about her. Mr Gill again remanded her in custody.