Squandered Fortune

Manawatu Times, Volume XL, Issue 13948, 29 July 1918, Page 3

Squandered Fortune

UNHAPPY MARRIAGE ENDS IN DISASTER. A man who gave the name of John North, and was said by his counsel to belong to "one of th e highest families in the land, ’ was sentenced at London Sessions to nine months’ imprisonment for fraud. Mr Hay don, who defended, said North’s story was a most lamentable one. His parents died when he was ten years of age. He was educated at Uppingham and Oxford, and when he was 21 he came into a fortune of £12,000, which proved to be a very serious thing for him. Ho married someone on the stage, and was induced to. settle his entire fortune upon her. His married life endured six months, and h e wras then in Paris very ill, which affected him mentally. Afterwmrds he was made bankrupt. When war broke out he enlisted in the R.N.A.S., went to France, lost his left eye, and returned to England. He afterwards reenlisted but was eventually discharged as unfit. The charge against North was that of obtaining by false prtcnces a ring of the value of £450 from Woolf Philips, an Oxford street jeweller, and handkerchiefs and other articles, wmrth £4/17/-, from A. Rose and Co. Mr Arthur Ryan, who prosecuted, said it would be unfair to mention Norths’ family. He had no title, but was at one time very wealthy, and in 1909 received £BOOO from relatives. Ho made the acquaintance of a woman at Bayswatcr at the beginning of the year, visited her us a friend, and in this way got possession of her chequebook. He used u number of the cheques, including one in the charge, and on April 35 he went to the Oxford Street shop and asked to see a pearl rope necklace priced at £2500. He chose a necklet at £2250, and then asked to sec some rings, selecting one at £450. He wrote out a cheque for £.IOOO, and, while signing it, said, "You see 1 am Sir George Bullough.” Giving Iris address as St. James’ Square, he said, "You had better wait until the cheque is cleared, but I will take the ring, as it is my wife’s birthday to-morrow.’’ He took the ring, and pledged it the sam f > evening for £BSO, When arrested he had only £l3 left. Inspector Macphersou said there were two previous convictions—one for obtaining money by means of a worthless cheque, and the other for stealing a motor-car. North belonged to a noble family. When h j (. was arrested he was id have met a. young woman he had promised to marry that day. He had [dodged the ring for £350, and apparently spent the money at <'ie Ritz and Princes and on a box at the Alhambra.