FUNERAL EXPENSES STOLEN

Greymouth Evening Star, 22 April 1938, Page 10

FUNERAL EXPENSES STOLEN

THEFT FROM WIDOW. SYDNEY, April 6. Police gave evidence at the Burwood Police Court yesterday that Norman James Bryson, 26, mechanic, had converted to his own use money given him bv a, widow to pay her husband’s funeral expenses. Mr. C. P. White, who appeared for Bryson, said Bryson received head injuries in a car accident in 1937, and later his head -was split open by a propeller while he was trying to start an aeroplane. It would appear that Bryson was not. in his right senses. Mr. White asked that Bryson should be medically examined, and that action’ should be taken to prevent firms from making colourable imitations of airmen’s uniforms.

Mr. J. B. Scobie, S.M., agreed to make the first recommendation, but took no action on the second. It was alleged by the police that Bryson wore a uniform similar to that of a commercial air pilot. -Tie was charged with having fraudulently obtained 2/- from Gerard Augustine Sayer, promising to register Sayer as a cadet in the Navy League Air Arm; converted to his own use £3/2/-, the porperty of Arthur Dodson, promising to obtain a cadet uniform for him; pawned a wristlet watch which Patricia Robinson entrusted to him to take to a jeweller for repairs; and converted to his own use £l9/12/-, entrusted to him. by Kathleen Robinson. Bryson, the police alleged, was at the Robinson home when the father became ill and died. Bryson made the funeral arrangements, and received £l9/12/- to pay the undertaker’s account, but had failed to do so. Bryson was sentenced to 18 months’ ■imprisonment on charges of larceny and false pretences, and was ordered to pay £2O/7/- compensation.