A DANGEROUS SWINDLER.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XL, Issue 12272, 16 May 1903, Page 2 (Supplement)

A DANGEROUS SWINDLER.

FIVE YEARS FOR A MAX WHO U*pr, WELL-KNOWN NAMES.

At the Old Bailey a few days at»o T rence Rodgers, 28, engineer," was indictS for obtaining £150 by false pretences from Paul Gustavus Friend, and also for for™ and uttering an agreement. He pleaded not guilty, and conducted his own defence Mr. Lilley, who prosecuted, stated tW in November last Mr. Friend answered im advertisement for a secretary, and saw D ri soner at Quenington Mansions, Fnlham Prisoner said he was the principal of £ Anglo-American Syndicate, a theatric? concern, and that the Duke of ovi{ , o ™* "a sleeping financial partner." They we about to produce a piece called " The Sou Girl," and required a commercial manage? who, as he would handle the receiot*' would have to deposit £250 as securitr Prisoner also stated that the bank ba.Un of the syndicate was £3000. Mr. fS was subsequently informed that his'J; vices were accepted, and he received from prisoner the draft of an agreement under which he was to pay £150 as security 3 another £ICO within 12 months. He com menced his duties on December 8 and on the 13th he received the following Utl from prisoner:—"The duke is fairly mad with me for not having the agreement signed, and says it is very unbusinesslike If you will settle same on Monday I "shall be glad, as I don't wish to lose him alto gether, although he is fairly sickening R* has signed the agreement to-night On the 17th prisoner showed Mr. Friend th contract, bearing the signature "Rovi-o" and on the following day prosecutor also signed it, and at the same time handed prisoner a cheque for £125 and £25 jh gold. Afterwards Mi. Friend went down, to Eastbourne to join th: company, which was about to play " The Sousa "Girl" a <. the Pier Theatre, and from what he heard there he spoke to prisoner, who admitted that he had forged th; signature of the Duke of Rovigo, and that he had paid the money into his own private banking account. °

Prosecutor gave evidence bearing out. this statement, and in cross-examination ho said he did not know that the Duke of Rovigo composed the music for " The Sonsa Girl." Witness attended some rehearsals at the Brixton Theatre. When the play was produced at the Ladbrook Hall it v.'a not a success.

Howard Cleaver, of Regent's Park, said he was an intimate friend of the Duke of Rovigo, who was a confirmed invalid. The signature to the agreement produced was not the duke's. He was not interested in the Anglo-American Syndicate in any way. Prisoner gave evidence on oath, alleging that Mr. Friend agreed to enter into partnership with him, and a contract was signed to that effect.

In reply to Mr. Lilley, prisoner said "The Sous: Girl" was written by himself, under the name of Cornelius Vanderbilt! He had also used the names of Lord Leslie Rogers, Leslie John, Spurr, and Roger Wood. He admitted three convictions. ' The jury at once found prisoner "guilty," and Inspector Arrow stated that at the time of his conviction in 1900 he was footman to a gentleman in Sussex. He advertised for clothing and money foi the troops in South Africa, and converted everything he received to his own use. Detective-Inspector Drew, the officer in charge of the case, said that soon after be came out of prison accused carried on what he called "The Alexandra Dinner Fund." Circulars were issued headed, " Patron, Her Majesty the Queen," and signed " Leslie C. Vanderbilt, hon. treasurer," while the names of the Rev. R. G. Lane and Lawrence Rodgers were given as hon, secretaries. Collecting-boxes were distributed all over London, and a number of ladies were induced to canvass for subscriptions. Prisoner also advertised himself as "The George Edwardes Theatrical Syndicate, Limited," and on the very day of his arrest Mr. George Edwardes obtained an injunction against him in the High Court. Mr. Lilley remarked that there was an indictment with respect to the Alexandra Dinner Fund, but he did not propose tc proceed with it. , The Recorder. said prisoner was an exceedingly dangerous man. He sentenced him to five years' penal servitude.