“MAN WITH FORTUNE”

Manawatu Standard, Volume L, Issue 140, 13 May 1930, Page 2

“MAN WITH FORTUNE”

MONEY FROM IRELAND. FALSE PRETENCES ALLEGED. Eloquent in the dock, numerous questions of wltn^ff t 4d his liam Patrick O’Donnell conducted ip own defence with vigour when lie ap peared before Mr J. L. Stout, b.M., in the Magistrates Court £**£l y and pleaded not guilty to several charges alleging false pretences. Tlfe charges against' accused were that on April 17, at Palmerston North, he obtained 2s 6d from Walter George Floyd bv falsely representing that he had money coming to him; that on April 29, at Palmerston North, he obtained 10s from Joseph Henry Purchase by a false representation; that on April 24, at Foxton, he obtained board and lodging to the value of £2 10s from Percy Hubert Hickey, by false representation ; that on April 23, at Bulls, he obtained £1 from Mita Warbrick by a false pretence; and that, on April zy, at Foxton, he similarly obtained lUs from Rachel Stevenson. Preferment for • trial by jury in respect of the charges was expressed by accused, but as only one was or an indictable nature, he elected to be dealt with summarily. “IMPOSING UPON PEOPLE.” “This man has been going round imposing upon people and obtaining money by false representations,” stated SeniorDetective Quirke. , Walter George Floyd stated that he met accused at an hotel on April 17. Accused asked for the loan of 2s 6d, stating that he was expecting a wire. He saw nothing more of accused or the telegram. Accused: Did anyone see you give me the 2s 6d?—No, but you borrowed it. Accused: Did you honestly give me 2s 6d?—Yes, on condition that you let me have it back. , Mita Warbrick, labourer, stated that he met accused at Bulls. It was represented that accused had a fortune coming to him, and was there to buy land. Accused produced a sheaf of documents and showed witness a wire with the words: “Posting £SO. Adams, Wellington.’ He stated that Mr Adams was a solicitor practising at the Hutt. Oil the strength of the representation* made, witness advanced accused £l. Accused; I was a stranger to you, was I not?—Yes. Accused: Who saw you give me £IP —My sister-in-law. Accused: What did you give me a £1 for?—You asked for it. That’s all about it, boy. Accused: Well, I won’t contradict you—your word’is as good as mine. Evidence was given by Mr Percy Hickey, licensee of a Foxton hotel, that accused had shown him documents and the telegram, as well as an advertisement inquiring for the whereabouts of Patrick O’Donnell, of Ireland. In addition to giving accused lodgings, witness said ho gave him ss. Accused; And what about the £1 I gave you ?—You cut that out in drink. Accused:. You would not give it back?—You had no chance of getting it back. You brought in another man and guaranteed his bed and meals. Mrs Rachel Stevenson said that she was the cook at a Foxton hotel. Accused went to the kitchen door and asked her for sixpence. Next day she gave him money on the strength of the statement that he had a fortune coming to him. Accused: I won’t ask this lady any questions. LAUGH ON YOU. Detective Barling stated that on April 30 he accosted accused at the Longburn Hotel. He told him that he was suspected of obtaining credit by stating that he had money coming to him from Ireland. Accused said he saw no harm in 'that, and was requested to. accompany the detective. He made a statement that he had caused the advertisement inquiring for his whereabouts to be inserted at Wellington by himself, and had dispatched to himself at Palmerston North the telegram purporting to relate to a fortune of £75,000. He bead borrowed a shirt from Mrs Stevenson’s husband and w.as still wearing it. He had not worked since February, and was sorry for what he had done and would take out a prohibition order. Accused informed the Magistrate that he was hazy about the matter. His memory was a blank, and he had spent seven years in an institution. He had had drink and had gone about doing these silly things. If there was any point in his favour His Worship: I am afraid there are very few. Accused: I put that advertisement in for fun to have a laugh at my friends.' His Worship: And now they will have the laugh at you. His Worship: You seem to have been trying this at the other end of the island in 1926?—0h, that was only a ride in a motor car. His Worship: What about 1918? That’s a long time ago. ' His Worship read a list of convictions extending from 1910 to 1926 when, he observed, accused went to Ireland. Aocused was sentenced to three months’ hard labour on the charge of obtaining board and lodgings by fraud, and a similar period in respect of the latter charges, for which the penalties were to be concurrent. That meant six months’ hard labour in all. One charge was. withdrawn by the police, who did not produce evidence.