MONEY DEMANDED

Manawatu Standard, Volume LIX, Issue 68, 17 February 1939, Page 4

MONEY DEMANDED

THREATENING LETTERS. YOUNG MAN PLEADS GUILTY. Per Press Association. WELLINGTON, Feb. 15. Four charges of demanding money with menaces and two of causing to be received by Mr W. It. Kenner letters threatening to burn a building, were preferred against Douglas Maxwell, aged 27, labourer, in the Magistrate’s Court to-day.

William Richard Kenner, govern-ing-director of Kenner’s, Limited, said that o«i January 12 he received a typewritten letter marked “Personal” and bearing the Pctone postmark. “There are anti-capitalistic racketeers operating in New Zealand and you are marked down to suffer material loss,” the witness read from the letter. “This means they may burn down your house or destroy your bach, which would be disastrous. The. horror of an explosion in the middle of tho night would not benefit nerves of iron.”

Witness then read a passage in which the writer offered him immunity from . all harm at a cost to witness of only £2OO. Witness was called upon to advertise his decision in an evening paper personal column, using the nom-de-plume “K.K.” This lotter was signed “Anti-Capitalist.” Witness communicated with the police and subsequently advertised: “I have no option. What are your conditions ?- —“K.K.”

On January 19 he received another letter stating that he had acted wisely and on payment of £2OO in cash ho would receive protection from the anti-capitalistic racketeers. Witness then advertised: “What are your arrangements?” On January 27 he received a third letter asking him to have tho money in his possession and carry it with him during the following Tuesday. The letter stated: “At the first sign of your co-oj>eration with the police the deal is off and the consequences are on your own head. You will be observed all day Tuesday, so play safe. Till Tuesday then—Pro-Cap.” THOROUGHLY ALARMED. Witness said he had regarded all the communications seriously and by this time he was thoroughly alarmed. After further communications by telephone and a letter received on February 6 in the course of which there was a paragraph, “You will appreciate the seriousness of the terrible fire last week and unless you wish to suffer a similar experience you know what to do,” witness was instructed to go to a telephone box and look in the directory under the letter “K” for further instructions. With two detectives concealed in his car lie carried out the instructions. In the car ho read: “Park your car on tho corner two streets down on the left and walk to the box and back. Leave the letter on the front scat of the car.” He acted as directed and when he returned to the car ho saw accused in the custody of the detectives.

Acting-Detective Smith said he and Acting-Defective Ally secreted themselves in Mr Kenner’s car when he drove to the telephone box. He heard footsteps approaching. They went past the car a little distance and then were retraced. Witness had a feeling that someone was looking into the car. “Although we were secreted from normal view in the rear of «he car it would have been quite possible for anyone standing alongside and looking in to have seen us,” said witness. “After a second or so the footsteps began to recede again, getting faster until they finally seemed to break into a run. Detective Alty and I quickly got out of the car and were in time to see accused running down a nearby street. Wo gave chase. Ac-,

cused disappeared into the garden of a residence and Detective Alty remained at tho front while I retraced niv steps to the rear fence. I looked over and saw accused crouching behind it.” Witness described the continuation of the chase. Accused, when caught and taken into the car, asked: “Are you Kenner’s sons?” and a few minutes later remarked: “I was a mug.” At the Central Police Station accused said he wanted to he quite frank and stated that he alone had been responsible for the typing and posting of the letters to Mr Kenner, said witness. He told the police whore to find the typewriter. He volunteered a statement but later discontinued on the advice of his solicitor. Accused pleaded guilty and was committed to the Supreme- Court for sentence, bail of £2OO with two £IOO sureties being allowed.