IN FINE FEATHERS.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLII, Issue 1016, 19 November 1917, Page 3

IN FINE FEATHERS.

MOKE Alton' THE I’SEVDUBIHGADIEB. In ;i cablegram recently received truin Sydney was contained iliestory oi :iu amazing imposition l>y one Frederick John lietcKc, who was euurged with imlawiully weaving a-military uniform. Ho appeared in court in the lull uiiilonu ot a prigadier-geueral with many decuralious. Tim police evidence showed that the only war, experience Beteke had ever had was as trooper in Urn New Zealand Forces in Soutli Alriea, when, owing to au injury to his hip, the Imperial Government allotted him a. pension oi a shilling‘a day. Belcke told the police he was born in New Zealand, and was the adopted son of a iullhlooded German named Otto Beteke. For the past six. years he lias been posing as a military officer. He first promoted himself to lieiitenaiil-eolonol, and gave military evenings to influential citizens of the \A extern Suburbs. Finaliy he. assumed tlie rank of general, lieappointed a, returned soldier whom lie met in a tram to be his A.D.C., and presented him with official papers promoting him to captain, it el eke was remanded for medical observation, owing to doubts as to his sanity. Further light on Beteke’s penchant for line feathers is afforded in a letter 1 roiii Mr Charles Slight, oi ihmkakariki, and published in the Dominion. -Mr Slight says; In 187J or 1871, the would-be “general's” people, with a number of other German families, came- to a certain North Island town as free emigrants. 1 left there some time after, and lost touch of them until the South African War. In October of 1.9011 1 was in Capetown for some time waiting ior a Hup for New Zealand. During my stay in Capetown 1 saw a young man parading the streets with quite a number ol war ribbons on his breast, and among them was the New Zealand ribbon. Finally, the s.s. Delphic arrived, and all the New Zealand men and :i. number of Australians were returning by her, our friend of the ribbons among them. On board I met Alex, -and Archie Mei’hec, of Carterton, and also Joe Scott (the latter is horse training). 1 asked them if they knew our friend of the ribbons. They told me that his name was lieteke, and that he had slowed away on a troopship going to Africa, with one of the first contingents, and had boon found on the ship alter leaving Albany. He was taken on to Africa. After hearing this account of him, 1 accosted him, and wauled to know where and how be got (h> New Zealand ribbon. He replied: “lu the Maori War. I said: “You come from f He replied that he did so; and when I told him that the Maori AVar was over at 'least four years before his father and mother left Germany, and rears before ho was born, he asked who j was. When I told him ho collapsed. The war ribbon did not appear after that, and he had a very cool time during the passage home. My nephew. Sergeant-Major J. Bell, of Trentliam Camp, wont to school with “the general,” and knows all his people.