A Rogue In Politics.

Hokitika Guardian, 10 April 1923, Page 4

A Rogue In Politics.

AMAZING CAREER OF G- A. JENNINGS. LONDON. Feb. 17, The story of the remarkable career of George Augustus Jennings, Liberal candidate lor North Paddington at the general election, who was sentenced at the Old bailey on AAT-dnesday to four years’ penal servitude for fraud, was told in an artiele from whieh the following extracts are taken : Even to-day there are women in the constituency who have the delusion that he n:i- really as honest as he was affable and that he has been retired from a life of liberty because ol some mysterious political plot. But he ts exactly what the Recorder called him in the Old BaiTev, "a mere adventurer.” lie were an eyeglass, lie wore the silk hat, the morning coal, the white spals of the I,lameless hie. lie arrived in the constituency in a RollsRoyce motor-car and with a RollsRoyce manner all hi' own. Bui In was a consummate liar—a swindler who had mad: l an an ol the business. This "Hike" Army captain who wanted to he an M.P. has been dealing in frauds for twelve years, lie had lots of energy, a i-n ell brain and a public sehool education. He founded his arts on a study of the life of one of the most famous of confidence tricksters. Commodore Weaver, and

i dames lYreival. another student of iin I *.111)10 remarkable i-riminnT. Tlit'ii. in a slack season, ,le!iniiip=. ! very hard up, obtained money Iron ; residents in dalnshiels l.v posiiu; as a I sanitary inspector, and received Id--1 lirst sentence of 2d days' hard labour. I I'nder I lie ,/inHuonce of I’ercival. .letinines developed into a London ad- ; venturer, frequent hip ilie Wed T'.ml i resorts, and mixing with the coiifii donee tricksters who abounded iusi ■ before the war. His -rtvirr iluriup Ihe j war was iioplipible, lull when it a.is over h* 1 claimed rank as a captain. | told of Lad wounds he had received, j and as Lually persuaded the I’ensituis Mini-tiv to eive him a pension. (''tK'.UNK S.MCCfM.IXC. drier this dcmiinps oluailied advertising work with a reptilahle linn, dosiened an ine.eliiou-- fraud, "a- di - month'. On hr rei- -- • In I'd.’l lm lived in i’ov.i --squa’.v wish a coididcuce man named Ibdicrl Lair, a member of a coal liisli I'atnily. hut deeply involved in tin- sinuppii Hr. et > oeuine into lhl~ ci iiiil ry. After tin death ol Lair In Viomri la't year. doiiumps cast about, for some i.tiier method ol makiup money. lly various morns la- wormed Ids way into the coni ml oliuvs id the Liberal A>-o cialion in Abi npdon--trect. and uiu-n North I’addin;.-;! on wanted a '\\.-e Live" candidate, Jen Mint's was sent alone;, bavin-, .-xlra.t. I money Lorn tile association. Til ■ executive committee I ecame Mis pieioii' ~i .leuuiiips. however, ain n i.miked "ILL'." aid his borrewinp ol • I*\*i r■ in the di-l rii tI ■ calm pen.- d known dpe. lie told, in defence, i wonderful Story of ike death ol hi' ial iier-in law. and of a lopacy due to him in a feu day.-. So eloquent was lie thal members of ill-' committee nceepted hiexplanations. i hoiiph he earelullv refrained from pivilip his delimet relative's name or residence, '-'oeiujx the •'rod lip;!it." leiminps now veered towards the Lloyd (ieorpe Liberals. There is pood ground lor believitlp that L'-'otl which he received two days before his arrest came fro in a certain politieal orpanisalioii. Officially seornetl by the “Wee Frees,” disregarded by tile • L.Od Liberals, who had now found Mr Jciiltinps out, he coolly stood as an indoepndeut. and polled fLOflil votes. The Itctnrnhip Ollieer. aware oi the debts incurred by Jennings in the dis-trii-i. dm'lined to ]i:m with the tTf -V> di'posii ; and by staying lo argue Jen-niie-s brought about his own fall.