“BARON” ON TRIAL
DENIAL OF THEFT HEARING AT AUCKLAND (United Press Association] AUCKLAND, 11th February. The hearing of two theft charges and one of receiving against Corneille Hubert De Mey, aged 47, farmer, was continued before Mr Justice Fair in the Supreme Court to-day. In the course of his evidence accused said his real name was Baron Corneille Hubert De Mey d’Alkemade. Accused was charged with stealing £2O and £2BO and with receiving £lO, the property of James McCann, and pleaded not guilty.’ In evidence he said he was at present serving three months in gaol in connection with other charges. He had been desirous of getting a small farm and had called upon McCann to see if he could lease his property. He denied the alleged thefts from McCann. “BLOWING UP” WELLINGTON To the Crown Prosecutor, Mr V. R. Meredith, accused admitted that in 1937 he was involved in a civil litigation at Auckland and £9OO was awarded against him. In 1935 he was arrested in Wellington on the allegation that he was going to "blow up" the city. He was placed in a mental hospital for a month, and subsequently the charge against him was thrown out by the magistrate. Accused admitted that he had been in Honolulu in 1935 and was known as "Baron.’’ Mr Meredith: “And you were then fixing up a flying corps for Haile Selassie?” Accused replied that there had been a lot in the Press that was not quite correct. He admitted that Press photographs produced and entitled “Baron Corneille Hubert De Mey d’Alkemade” were pictures of himself. He had told the police chief in Honolulu that he had j been in trouble in New Zealand and was going out to do his bit for Haile Selassie. He had backing in America and the uniform which he wore in the pho- , tographs would have been recognised if he had been able to get to Africa. DINED WITH VON LUCKNER Mr J. F. W. Dickson, for accused (reexamining) : “You are in fact a baron?” Accused replied that the title was officially granted by the Dutch to his grandfather for services in the Great War. He had dropped the title for the present, as it had been suggested that he was one of the heads of the "Fifth Column” in New Zealand. He admitted that he had dined with Count Von Luckner, but he was definitely not a Fifth Columnist. The hearing was adjourned.
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Bibliographic details
Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXIII, 12 February 1941, Page 9
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409“BARON” ON TRIAL Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXIII, 12 February 1941, Page 9
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