A REMARKABLE AGENCY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 11771, 28 September 1901, Page 2 (Supplement)

A REMARKABLE AGENCY.

ALLEGED EXTENSIVE SCHOLASTIC FRAUDS.

At Bow-street Police Court lately, before Mr. Marsham, John Paget, 39, described as an educational agent, of 9, Duncan Terrace, Islington, was charged with obtaining three sums of money, amounting to £2 17s, from Florence Emelie Prideaux, by false pretences.

Mr. Arthur Gill (for the Treasury) said prisoner was charged with fraud in connection witbt a so-called scholastic agency, which he had been carrying on for years past, and as a result of which he had possessed himself of sums of money— in themselves, but large in the aggregate— tained from schoolmasters and schoolmistresses all over the country, and as a rule living in places remote from London. Counsel could not better explain the modus operandi than by taking a typical case, that of Miss Prideaux, who kept a school at Hill View, Wellington, Somerset. About the month of March, last year, she received from prisoner an application inviting her to insert advertisements in what he termed " The Anglo-Indian School Guide." One guinea would be the charge for advertiseing for a year, and this was to be sent to " John Paget," Anglo-Indian Scholastic Agent, 3, Myddelton Square, E.C., established 1883." He also forwarded samples of circulars which he alleged were distributed in India and elsewhere. It was noticeable that nearly every communication was accompanied by the suggestion that a good-paying pupil from India was on the point of being sent to school. Miss Prideaux accepted the offer, and sent her guinea. She did not receive the " Guide," but, instead, there came a fresh application, this being the second step to procure money, which was represented as being required for the purpose of printing circulars to be sent to India. The charge was to be 15s for 200, including postage, and Miss Prideaux fell in with the suggestion, and sent the cash. The next step was to procure a fee for the inspection of the school. There was, prisoner wrote, a prospective pupil, but there was a difficulty because the parents wished him to personally visit the school. Fortunately, he was about to visit the neighbourhood, and therefore his fee would be a mere trifle— a guinea, with something towards his railway fare. Accordingly Miss Prideaux sent yet another guinea. That concluded the case as far as obtaining money was concerned, the date being May 22 last, and from that time to the present Miss Pridearpc had received nothing in return for her moneyno advertisements, no circulars and no visit. This was, as he (Mr. Gill) had said, a typical case, and this kind of thing had been going on at all events since 1887. At that time it was " The Royal Educational Circular Guide," and prisoner was W. Ridley Carr, of Torrington Square, while in 1894-5 it was carried on at Holford Square, and from 1897 onwards at 3, Myddelton Square. This address of 3, Myddelton Square, was a somewhat remarkable feature of the case. Prisoner left there in the beginning of 1900, when he rented a room at Islington, and, taking advantage of the post office system, he registered a new address, and gave instructions for all letters to be forwarded. The address that he registered, however, was not his place of residence, but 4, Milnestreeta shop to 'which letters could be addressed. The result of. this state of things was that anyone calling to see prisoner at Myddelton Square was met by the answer that he was not known and even if the visitor succeeded in tracing him to Milne-street he would still be at fault. Last year prisoner even Avent so far as to r.nnounce that he had " removed to more commodious premises, at 19, Myddelton Square," and it appeared that by giving gratuities to the postmen, he ensured that letters addressed to him there came safely into his possession. Evidence in support of this statement was given by Miss Prideaux, and also by Miss Rosa Simnionds Batchelor, of Parkgate, Cheshire, who is alleged to have been similarly defrauded. • It appeared from the documents produced that, in addition to the scholastic business, prisoner issued a circular containing advice to investors to avoid being swindled, and that he also provided homes of rest for lawyers. (Laughter.) Asked if he wished to question the witnesses, prisoner said that what they had stated was quite true, but there was another side to the question, and he could explain everything. A good deal of formal evidence having been taken, prisoner was remanded in custody. '