"ARGUS THE PROPHET"

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLI, Issue XLI, 15 December 1920, Page 5

"ARGUS THE PROPHET"

CHARGED WITH FORTUNEr

TELLING

(BY TEI/ESTtAFW —VKESS ASSOCIATION ) CHRISTCHURCH, Dec. 14. Nathaniel Copeland,. known as "Argus the Prophet," aged 11, appeared in the Magistrate's Court charged with having undertaken to tell fortunes .Louis Copeland, his father, was sinii- j laiily charged. The informations were laid by the police in respect of performances just concluded at the Grand ' Theatre, Argus purporting, amongst other things, to tell the whereabouts of missing property. , Counsel for defendants said if the case had to stand over and defendant remain in Christchurch to make a test % case ifc would mean serious loss to their ■ employers and great expense to Cope-! land. He suggested that the boy be not asked to plead guilty as he acted under the influence of his father, and that the case against him be dismissed without prejudice on that case to avoid ' an adjournment. The father would plead guilty to the charge and undertake, on his arrival in Auckland, to give the police an opportunity to bring another caso which could become a test case. The magistrate asked what the police proposed r» The police said they wanted an adjournment if the case was to be1 defended. An adjournment was necessary to get witnesses. Counsel said Copeland would supply all the facts in Auckland for a test ease. The magistrate said he did not want to hamper Copeland in his engagements and both cases would b& adjourned sine I die. ' .