MYSTERY GOLFER

Grey River Argus, 10 August 1937, Page 3

MYSTERY GOLFER

Montague’s Case LOS ANGELES, August 6. The Attorney-General (Mr Webb) ruled that the Governor of Essex County, New York, under the law, must extradite John Montague on a robbery charge. “Ilis exemplary conduct while in California cannot influence the Governor’s decision,” Mr Webb added. Montague was awaiting extradition to Essex County to appear on a charge of the theft of 700 dollars in 1930. The police are alleged to have identified fingerprints of John Montague, the golfer, who is now awaiting extradition from California on a robbery charge, as similar to those of a man who was convicted at Syracuse for extortion in 1927. The man’s name La Verne Moore, they state- He posed as a detective and obtained money from a man whom he and four companions threatened. La Verne Moore received a six months’ suspended sentence. The police chief said: “ He was running around with a bad gang of boys here.” . Montague was popular in the him colony, where he played startling golf with well-known actors. Last winter at Palm Springs, Florida, in the presence of a large gallery he lowered the course record on each of four days, finishing the final round with 61. He bet freely for large sums, and won as much as £2OO a hole from some of Hollywood’s leading actorgolfers. . According to the police, Montague said on his arrest, “I made a mistake when I was a kid. I got in with a tough gang and went wrong. Ive spent the last seven years trying to live it down. I’m glad this has come out, so that I can drop the phantom P Inspector Cosart, of the New York State Police, hearing tales of California’s mystery golfer, remembered that one La Verne Moore had a goit bag in his car, and was “crazy on golf ” when - he and three others held up Hanna’s roadhouse in 1930. Inspector Cosart went to California, had a look at Montague and arrested him Montague’s great strength enabled him to wield an 18oz. driver and he is reputed to drive a ball up to 360 yards. Always well supplied with money, he never played in a tournament, but would play anyone for any amount.