MASQUERADING AS A MAN.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXX, Issue 14979, 27 April 1909, Page 7

MASQUERADING AS A MAN.

EXTRAORDINARY DECEPTION BY A WOMAN. MARRIES AN OTAGO GIRL. THE CAREER. OF AN ADVENTURESS. [From Our CoftttWONDtiNT.] DUNEDIN, April 20. Practically the only matter discussed in Dunedin this evening is Amy Bock’s latest escapade in masquerading as a man and marrying one of her own sex. Tiio “Star” says:—The .most remarkable and one of the most sensational, not to say unique, cases known in the annals of crime in this dominion lias been skilfully brought to a head by an astute member of the detective force. It furnishes an extraordinary story of a wily woman’s escapade and almost seemingly incredible, so romantic and tairyliko does it all read. lo some readers, no doubt, it will have its humorous side. Here are the facts:— Amy Bock, alias Channel, alias Shannon, alias Vallane, alias Skovington, alias Percy Carol Redwood, the culprit in the case, is a small, trim little woman of about forty-nine years of age, and wus born ill Victoria. Sho camo to New Zealand in 1881, and since her residence here lias been well-known to the police all over the dominion, for a number of times she has carried out particularly daring and cunningly-conceived swindles. She is quick to act and just as smart at disappearing and leaving no trace of he: whereabouts “ when wanted.” . Early in January' of this year she arrived in, Dunedin, and, setting out on one of her notorious escapades, sho obtained a situation as a domestic with a Roslyn family of the name of Roy. The family went for a holiday, and left Amy in charge of the house. Their absence gave her active brain the opening slio was anxiously waiting for. Forging her master’s name to a receipt purporting to sell the furniture in tho house to her, she called on an unwary business man in Kaikorai Yaliey and succeeded in convinping him that tho receipt was genuine, with tho result that sho gave liitn a bill of sale over tho furniture and got £3O in return. Next day she decamped with the money for pastures new, to again deceive people by her plausible manner and downright Togtiery. From that day until last Saturday tho detectives have hold a warrant for her arrest for obtainiifg the £.30 by means of false pretences, but the bird had vanished. Tile next that was hoard of her was at tho Nuggots, where sho took up her rcsidenco in tho same month (January) at a boarding-houso kept by Mr and Mrs George Ottaway, whore in a now role, that of Percy Carol Redwood, the nephew of an archbishop, wo como to tho latest and most unique chapter in this woman’s lengthy and varied career of fraud and dire deception. With hair cut short and dressed in tho latest fashion, “ Percy Redwood ” soon became a favourite at tho Nuggets, lie had plenty of money, a wealthy mother living at Hamilton, in tho Waikato, and a nice, gentlemanly manner. All so far had gone well with “Mr Redwood.” The coup do grace bod yet to come. Ho found in Miss Ottaway, a daughter of tho boarding-houso keeper, agad about thirty-two, a, most desirable acquaintance. They said her people had money. Ho forthwith made his advances, and a friendship sprang up which unfortunately ripened, and finally ended with disastrous results for tho young lady. With time- they got to know each other better, and it was not long before gossip had it that they were become more than mere acquaintances, and Damo Rumour did not lie. This time “Mr Redwood” had won “the girl of liis heart.” and with the consent of her parents, the wedding was duly fixed for Wednesday, the 21st of this month. All this time “Mr Redwood” had had an abundant supply of cash, and no wonder, for just recently ho induced a young lady in Dunedin to part with £4O of her hard-earned money, nud there was tho £3O raised on Mrs Roy’s furniture. The Ottaways were suspicious at no time of their new boarder. Mrs Ottaway was more than satisfied with his genuineness, because there was a letter written to her by his mother stating: “ I havo .just had a talk over tho marriage with my boys, and am going to town to see my lawyer. Wo have decided to give Carol £3500, and I will give another £IOOO for tho house and furniture, as he wishes to live in Dunedin.” This was signed “ Frances Redwood,” but, of coursoj was written by “ Percy Redwood ’ himself. Then thero was another letter bearing tho print of tho Auckland Drainage Board, and purporting to be from tho secretary of that Board, and stating that as he was ro-i tiring, “Mr Redwood” was to pointed at a salary of £7 a week. The mother was unable to attend tho marriage at tho Nuggets because her daughter was being married the same day. but she would bo down in a week. The representatives of two Dunedin firms also appear on tho scene. “Air Redwood” had been to them with documents givi.ug detailed accounts of sheep and horses owned by him in the Waikato. He wanted a mortgage fixed up, and one firm advanced him £lO on tho strength of supposed proof which was forthcoming. The representative of tho other firm proceeded to.the Nuggets with a cheque for £IOO, but he became suspicious, notwithstanding that “ Mr Redwood ” could give the names of his horses and a full description of the sheep, earmarks, etc. Mrs Ottaway, however, still had faith in her future son-in-law and gavo her house as a security, and this satisfied lawyer No. 2, but lawyer No. 1 threatened violence, and “Mr Redwood,” considering discretion tho better part of valour, returned the £lO ho had borrowed from him. It was a great day at the Nuggots, the day that Miss Ottaway was married to “Mr Percy Carol Redwood,’ Wednesday of last week. The ceremony was conducted by tho Rev G. Calvert Blathwayt (Anglican), with the Rev A. M. Dalrymplo (Presbyterian) assisting. After describing tlio dress of the bride and ten bridesmaids the reporter of the Clutha paper tells of how tho bride stood beside her betrothed “ to receive the ring which is the symbol of requited love.” Then follows a description of the wedding feast- “This,” ho says, “ was a feast to suit tho palate of Epicure, washed down with sparkling vintage or Reims champagne, which had been nine years in cellar.” Then came the toasts. Tho Rov Air Dalrymple, in proposing “ The Bride and Bridegroom, said that all ware glad to welcome Air Redwood, who came among them as a stranger, hut he was quite satisfied that tho union would bo a happy one, if it was in Mr Redwood’s power to make it. Air Alalcolm, AI.P., also spoke and gave “ some good advice to tho bridegroom,” tho gist of which was to hand the management of affairs ever to his partner when in doubt. Tho bridegroom’s gift to tho bride was a set of silver-backed brushes. Fortunately for the sake of the girl who was deceived, the honeymoon was abandoned. At a timely moment a Dunedin resident, who was suspicious of the bridegroom’s sex. wisely spoke of his suspicions, with the result that the couple did not leave on their proposed tour to Alclbourne, for which the tickets had been purchased by afriend, who subsequently returned them to tho shipping company and had his money refunded. “Air Redwood” little thought on that eventful Wednesday that his end ——hand. ' Tho detectives

wore on Jo's trail, and five days later be was safely lodged in Dunedin lockup. On .Friday (Jhicf-Detective Herbert and Detective Hunt paid a visit to a boarding-houso in Dunedin where it was known that Amy Bock had stayed, and there they found Woman’s clothing. On Saturday Detective Hunt hurriedly took his departure for the Nuggots, and thero that night arrested “ Air Redwood,” whom the detective had previously surmised was no other than Amy Bock. Ho was not mistaken. Detective Hunt, calling at the Ottaway’s house, asked to see “Air Redwood,” who came down the stairs smoking his pipe. “The game’s up, Amy,” said the detective, and Amy merely answered, “All right.” The Ottawa.ys H ere afterwards told of the whole business. Aliss Ottaway is reported to he ill in bed. She is said to be a tall, strongly-built woman. Balclutlia was reached on Sunday night, and Dunedin at eleven this morning. As seen this morning when, she walked between two detectives from the railway station to the detectives’ office, men without knowledge of her identity would not have taken the dapper individual in bridegroom grey to be a woman. Alany women, indeed, have turned eager eyes on loss attractive men than this woman attired as a man. A front view showed a diminutive man, well-dressed, neat of limb, with neater feet, and rather good-looking. The Way she had her hands sunk in the pockets of a light grey overcoat was tho way of a man when the wind is raw and his undergarments thin. She seomed to be keeping t-lie coat close to herself as if to hide her figure. Her faco was neat, rather than pretty, A pallor enhanced its attractiveness. A back view made it almost impossible to believo that the little person between tho detectives was a woman. She seemed a man. She walked with the slight stoop of the scholar, but with a firm tread. Hew build was quite ordinary to anyone who did not know the truth. When one knew tho facts there were obvious peculiarities. As showing bow men were deceived, it is interesting to mention that the bridegroom was measured and suited at tho New Zealand Clothing Factory, and, although her petite form required nothing more than size 13£ for collar's and shirts, no one suspected anything “ amiss,” not oven the measurer. Tho warrant on which the prisoner was arrested charges her with about the middle of January obtaining £3O from Arthur Ellis by means of u false pretence. Accused, it is understood, has made a clean breast of the matters relating to this charge and also other charges on which sue is liable to ho prosecuted. She is anxious to got tho whole tiling over as soon, as possible. It is said that a local firm of jewellers parted with £IOO worth of jewellery, but that they havo Mr Ottaway’s name as security. The accused, it might bo mentioned, is a very temperate woman. She never drinks, but on die day of the wedding, in order to play her part, she took seven whiskies, which she says nearly killed her.

It is understood that it was her intention to givo Aliss Ottaway the slip at the Bluff on the way to Melbourne on the supposed honeymoon, and leave a letter explaining all. The one Word “fraud” explains the charge in connection with the “wedding.”

SOAIE CHRISTCHURCH ESCAPADES. Tho history of Amy Bock, since her arrival in New Zoaland, is a more or less continuous record of crime of the “false representations” descriptions, and her deceptions were carried out in such an artistic and resourceful manner that tho very completeness of her plans frequently showed her natural enemies, the police, that Amy Bock, and sho only, could havo devised them. Very little can bo gleaned of her early history. It seems certain that she was born in Victoria in 1861, of comfortably well-to-do parents, and that she received an exceptionally good education. She came to New Zealand in 1884, and a year later first cumo_ into conflict with the police, and was sent to the Caversham Industrial Home for a period. She had worked as a. school teacher in Victoria, and, in addition to writing a beautiful baud, she was an excellent pianist and tho mistress of many social accomplishments. A Christchurch resident, Air Alfred Buxton, who came into contact with Amy Bock some seven years ago in this city, told a “Lyttelton Times” reporter semo interesting anecdotes of her escapades here and elsewhere last evening. When he first heard of her she was housekeeper to a resident at Sheffield, and wont by tho name of Aliss Shannon. She complained that her eyos were failing, and came to Christchurch allegedly to get medical advice. She was introduced to Air Buxton by mutual acquaintances, and made his house her home during her sojourn hero. Sho soon mado many firm friends among Mr Buxton’s circle of acquaintances, and stated to them that she had considerable private means, and was negotiating for tho purchase of a poultry farm at Auckland. She was a little short of ready money, sho said, ■ and she required just £4O to complete the purchase. She backed up all lior statements by exhibiting letters and telegrams from various parts of New Zealand, written by and addresed to herself, and her representations were so plausible that she succeeded in borrowing £4O each from two of Air Buxton’s friends. No ' suspicion was aroused as to the genuineness of her pretensions until one day one of Air Buxton’s sons entrusted her with £l2, to deposit in a bank. The amount was not banked. Amy Bock told Airs Buxton that she had lost the bank receipt for tho amount, but that she would get another. Thereupon she went to tho same bank, deposited £3 of the money, and, as Airs Buxton was with her, she gave young Buxton a laundry slip instead of the receipt. Before tho mistake was discovered she altered her bank slip to read “ £12,” and as soon as young Buxton found out that what had been given him was a laundry receipt, handed tho altered bank slip to him. Eventually it was found out that the money was not in the bank, and, when taxed with the theft, Aliss Bock calmly said she had handed on her commission to a young man whoso mother was dying. If lie wore prosecuted the shock would kill his mother outright, and she would gladly pay £9 out of her own pocket to prevent that. She paid over the £9, and shortly afterwards disappeared from Christchurch. When Air Buxton discovered that she had victimised his friends he did some, amateur detective work. He found out from a cabman that Aliss Bock had gone to Wellington, and followed her there. Similar investigations among tho Wellington cabmen elicited the fact that she was stopping at tile Trocadero Hotel, the police were called in, and Amy Bock went into seclusion at tho Terrace Gaol for three years. While stopping with tho Buxtons, sho presented ono of the daughters, much against Mr Buxton’s wish, with a. bicycle. It was afterwards found to bo one she had hired, and had not returned. An incident that reads curiously in view of her latest escapade was related by Airs Buxton. Aliss Bock and Mrs Buxton wore in town ono evening, when Aliss Bock caught sight of a man’s readymade suit in Alessrs Toneycliffe and Carey’s, of a size which would just about lit her, She told Mrs Buxton

a heartrending story about a poor youth in Invercargill who was badly in need of such a suit, which was just the right size for him, and proposed to buy it. Airs Buxton, however, dissuaded her, saying that it would be better to send the young man the money, and let him buy a suit in Invercargill., At this time it is also noteworthy that Amy Bock’s hair was cut short: Sho accounted for this by Stating that she had recently passed through an attack of fever.