AMAZING FRAUD.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 2090, 14 February 1920, Page 1

AMAZING FRAUD.

WOMAN’S EXTRAVAGANCE AND CARDS. £22,000 FRAUD. - London, Dec. 5. “Your great ability, your charm of manner and appearance, 1 and your opportunities have led to one thing only —your appearance in the criminal dock at these assizes.” Thus Mr Justice McCardie passed sentence of twelve months’ imprisonment in a “most unhappy case” —that of Mary Brady, 29 r cashier, on three counts —larceny, falsification of cash book, and fraudulent conversion of moneys, the property of her employers, Messrs Thom.son,- Ltd., shipowners and brokers, Manchester, London, and Christiania. “It is a case which causes me as a Judge deep personal grief.”'' Later Mr Justice McCardie said: “I can see no element of romance in this case. I see only (he degradation and dishonour of theft.” Miss Brady was arrested at the Hotel Metropole, Brighton. The sale of her effects by'order of the Official Receiver created a stir. Her jewellery realised over £I,OOO, her diamond ring alone bringing £2OO. There were a gold cigarette case, a gold card ease inscribed “To .Molly,” and a tortoise-shell toilet set. Included also were a new (iO-guinea sequin gown, a £SOO fur coat, 100 evening and other dresses, scores of pairs of shoes, some choice wines, and a roulette table. She had also bought a house in Victoria Pari:, the residence of a former Manchester Lord Mayor. The estate in all realised £8,400. Mr Langdon, K.C., who prosecuted, said Brady was a single woman,, and had been for seven or eight years employed by Messrs Thomson as a cashier at. a salary of £-1 a week'. The practices of which she was accused began in 1017, and the frauds were discovered in July of the present year. To the police officer who arrested her she said: “I cannot deny having had the money, but 1 can get my.friends to help me to pay it.” She gave the amount at £IO,OOO. . Mr Langdon: “Have the prisoner’s employers put in a proof, and if so, for how much ?”—“£22,000.” Sir E. Marshall Hall: “Thai is not disputed.’’ The Judge; According to the police, the prisoner when arrested said she had lost (be money by gambling and cards, except what she spent on dress. What did the estate consist ■ of“ The estate consisted of dress, furs, jewellery, furniture, a house in Victoria Park, and a jewellery business. “How did she pay for the business? —In cash. It cost £2,000.

Was the business successful? —I should say it was moderately successful.■ She would probably make from £SOO to £OOO a year. Answering questions by the Judge, Mr Gibson , said be thought Brady must have lost thousands of pounds at cards played at the Midland Hotel. The Judge: With whom did she play?—l cannot tell you. I shall have to investigate these matters very closely in bankruptcy in view of this trial. I thought it was fairer not to conduct the bankruptcy proceedings until this was over. You have not investigated the losses at Cardiff? —I have carefully abstained in view of this trial.

Sir E. Marshall-Hall, for the defence, said that had the fads been pat into a novel by some popular author they would have been looked upon as so improbable as to be ridiculous. Her father was in inspector in the Hoya! Irish Constabulary. He died when she was fourteen. She was a woman of extraordinary business capacity, and lived with her mother. When her mother was away she went and took rooms at the Manchester Midland Hotel, where she met persons in a totally different class of life. She became possessed of a great ambition to associate with people who were very kind to her, and got into a" position that she could not maintain on her salary. Then she conceived the idea of starting in business for herself. She bandied large sums of money, the petty cash being, for instance, approximately 50,000 a year. The defalcations at first were very small. She went on drawing larger rand larger cheques. She was 'swamped by the drains upon her, and was led on to play cards and games- of chance. She got deeper and deepr er into debt. , She has nothing of any sort or shape, is without a penny, and she is ruined. There is no suggestion of any immorality. "I hope that the case will warn all—both men and women —that integrity of character is the only basis of lasting-happiness,” said the Judge in passing sentence of twelve months. Sir E. Marshall Hall announced that an officer-who was engaged to

]\liss Brady was still willing to marry her when the term of imprisonment was ended. From the moment she entered the dock Miss Brady controlled her emotions with difficulty. At the moment when sentence was passed she seemed in danger of being overcome. With head thrown back a little, she stood with closed eyes, a very sorrowful but a dignified and beautiful woman. She swayed a little, turned, and the wardress taking her arm, descended the steps. The Court was thronged with fashionably dressed women. Crowds waited in queues outside the Courts from 8 a.m., and scores were unable to gain admission. Mo ease in Manchester has so intrigued the public.