BLACKMAIL CHARGE

Greymouth Evening Star, 23 April 1931, Page 6

BLACKMAIL CHARGE

GOULBURN BISHOP’S EVIDENCE. GOULBURN (N.S.W.), April 14. In the police court, Edwin Cosmo de Satge, alias .Stewart, was charged with having demanded of Lewis Bostock Radford, the Bishop of Goulburn, with menaces and by force, a sum of £ 100 with intent ’to steal. He was committed for trial. Sergeant Thornley,- in evidence, said that he had had a conversation with Dg- Radford, and after,wards addressed an envelope to “E. Stewar.t, Royal Hotel,” which he had handed to the Bishop. Witness, -with Constables Bodel and Munro, went to the hotel, where he saw de Satge take the letter. They then took defendant to the police station. “It is alleged by Dr Radford,” witness had said A 0 defendant,, “that you demanded £lOO of him arid said that if he did not give it to you, you would publish in Sydney and Melbourne newspapers something you knew about him-” Defendant said that he had bepn drunk. Next morning Sergeant Thornley asked defendant how the plan had originated in his mind. De Satge asked permission to speak to two girls, and after doing so, he said: “They will tell you everything, or I will. I was filled up with gin, otherwise I would not have done it.” A statement was allegedly made by the girls and was later signed by de Satge. A separate statement, alleged to have been made by de Satge, was to the effect that he and three others left Double Bay by car, and some time afterwards went to see the ; Bishop. He alleged that the girts suggested that he should go to the Bishop and make allegations that -he had been seen visiting a young lady at Vaucluse. The statement said that, the Bishop had asked what defendant wanted, and defendant had replied, “£100.” Sergeant Thornley went on to say that de Satge, who witness had known for many years as a respectable youth, showed signs of having been drinking. When charged; defendant said, “This is a nice fix for a man to be in.” > Dr Radford said that the three girls

came to see him with de Satge, who then had nothing to say. One of the girls was known to witness. Another of the girls had said that they were in Goulburn for a month’s holiday and wished to see places of interest. Witness agreed to show them over St. Saviour’s Cathedral on the following Tuesday afternoon. That. afternoon defendant had come to see him. byt witness did not recognise him at first. Defendant said: “I have some in-

formation about your visits to Vaucluse to see a lady there, and it would be worth’your while, in your position, to avoid publicity being given to any such indiscretions.” Witness replied that there was nothing that needed denial or defence. He asked de Satge what his purpose . was. De Satg;e hesitated, but witness was determined to make him reveal his purpose. “At, last, the very word came out, ‘blackmail,’ ” said Dr Radford. “He later named £lOO, and said that if it was not paid, he would publish the in--formation in. the Melbourne Press. He did not specify what papers would

use such garbage. Defendant said he would go to Sydney with a similar purpose. When told that blackmail was a serious offence, he said that he knew that, but he was down and out and wanted money.

“I said, ‘shoot, and be damned,” said the Bishop. “I had difficulty in getting him out of the house. Outside I saw my wife and told her in de Satge’s presence what he wanted. My wife said,/let him go on with his job. ’ Witness then informed the police and acted as they had requested. Dr Radford added: “This is a diabolical plot against me. I have nothing to, answer and nothing to hide.” De Satge was committed for trial at Goulburn Quarter Sessions in June.