BAUME AND SMITH "GO UP THE RIVER"

Manawatu Times, Volume XLIX, Issue 3265, 8 February 1926, Page 6

BAUME AND SMITH "GO UP THE RIVER"

Grave, Clever and Impudent Fraud

JUDGE’S STRICTURES ON YOUNG PRISONER

[Per Press Association.] WELLINGTON, Last Nigh*.

The case of fraud on the Post OfllOt Savings Bank, whereof Baume, a law clerk, and Smith, a labourer, succeed-' ed in securing £llOO concluded on Sat' urday evening. The jury after a retirement of several hours returned a verdict of guilty against both prisoners. In sentencing Baume and Smith His Honour said they had been found guilty of a very grave fraud, a yep; clever fraud, and, he was bound i' say, a very impudent fraud. He ’ft gretted to sec u. young man, with pci haps a brilliant careen, before hir.i who to some extent, bus made wreck of. it. When Baume met Smith the first befriended him. He believed the youngrer man was actuated by gen eroslty and kindly motives, that later there entered into his. business mind that here was means to do this fraud to appease his vanity rather than hh cupidity. Although Baume had com mltted a grave crime, he had com mltted a graver one in His Honour’ll opinion. The crime of fraud on Baume’s part was less than the crime he committed in the witness-box, where 1 he had fenced with counsel, sometimes with diabolical cleverness, and was most ungenerous to his confederate. It was well that Baume had been convicted, for, with hie facile self evasion If he had not been checked at the outset he might hav e come to a bad end. The crime was the result of no sudden temptation, but showed a definite criminal tendency, which ho and »o-: clety must be protected from. Tfa tact that ho was mixing fa with th« honourable men of his profusion all went,to show his crime was all the worse on that account, He would not b e sent to ordinary prison where ht might be debauched by. th e ordinary rough and less Intelligent type oi criminal. His duty was to separat' him from his fellows tor a period. They wore stranded and Cgsft oh th rocks, but could retrieve themselves Baume was sentenced to three year, in the Borstal Institute, Smith, whe was too old fbr that, was ordered U undergo one (year’s reformative treatment ■ ,