OLD ETONIAN

Greymouth Evening Star, 22 July 1936, Page 4

OLD ETONIAN

HIS LAPSE FROM VIRTUE. An Etonian who alter a brilliant university career fought as au officer in tiro Guards and later became a judge in Siam, walked into a London newspaper office recently—straight from

prison. This is the amazing story given just as he told it to the “Sunday Chronicle”: — Until 1 was 20 everything in my life seemed to point to my enjoying the most brilliant of careers. My parents | ware wealthy, influential. I was their ' second son, and like my brothers, I was sent to Eton. My record there was better than any of them. When I left to pass on to the university I was captain of games, a member of the first fifteen, captain of boxing, and 1 passed the university examinations with credit. Then the war came. 1 applied for a commission and gained one in the Grenadier Guards. I fought with them at Cambrai. I was the only officer 1 left out. of the entire battalion. When we were relieved after 96 hours of continuous fighting I was in command of a “batallion” of 60 men. After the war I decided on a legal career, and was called to the Bar in 1923. 1 was appointed prosecutor to the Board of Trade. I held that rather difficult job for more, than three years. Then I tired of it and resigned. My family was furious. 1 was given a cheque

for £2OO and advised to try to make my fortune in the colonies. 1 spent that £2OO within a fortnight—in London. Then I signed on as a stoker on a vessel for New Zealand.

After a precarious life there, doing odd jobs, I managed to save enough—shilling by shilling—for a cheap passage back to England. But I had no job or any prospect of one. However, luck —and bluff with a. very big B —got me out of the corner.

A legal friend told me that the post of legal adviser to the King of Siam was vacant. Out of 153 applicants I got the job, at .£2,000 a. year. 1 was a success in Siam. The King decorated me with the Order of the Crown of Siam and the Order of the White Elephant. I sat on the bench as a judge. In many instances I was called upon to adjudicate where British interests

were involved. A year later I was back in England, my career hopelessly interrupted. I had contracted sleepy sickness.

All the money 1 had saved drained away in doctors’ fees and other ex penscs. There came a night when J

had no money left at all. I was hungry. I had known for many years that I bore a striking resemblance to a. famous and wealthy peer. Hunger sharpened my wits, anti, tempted me to make use of the resemblance. I went to a West End hotel and booked a suite in the peer's name. The next day I walked into a jeweller’s shop off Piccadilly, telling them that I wanted to choose a wedding pre-

sent for my daughter, and I ordered £lO,OOO worth. 1 asked for it to be sent round to my suite at the Carlton. It was Saturday morning, and I added as an afterthought, “Possibly, us you close at. one, it will be an inconvenience to you?” The jeweller fell into the trap. "Not at. all, my lord. As it is only a small parcel why not take it with you?” Within two hours 1 had sold the jewelI levy to a “fence" for £7,000. The same afternoon 1 left by aeroplane for Paris. In less than two months 1 was back in London again, broke. I had played the fool in Paris to the tune of £l,OOO a week. Hard put to it to find money after I made the one big slip, I tried to obtain £lOO worth of goods from a West End store on my mother’s name. The trick was discovered. I was arrested, and while 1 was on remand the authorities were azle to link me up with the £lO,OOO jewellery loss. 1 pleaded guilty and was sentenced to nine months’ hard labour. This morning I became a free man again. But it seems inevitable that before long I shall be back behind prison walls.