ALLEGED BOGUS LORD.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 12609, 25 June 1904, Page 2 (Supplement)

ALLEGED BOGUS LORD.

WOMAN'S AMUSING ADVENTURES. The extraordinary credulity of several women is'said to have formed the groundwork of a.lleged extensive thefts by a man named A'<lolf, Beck, agent, who figured .'in the dock jat Marylebone; ' London, a tew weeks ago before Mr. Curtis Bennett. Mr. Sinus, for the Treasury, explained that there* were several fresh charges to be preferred igaiust accused, and asked that the evidence already given on the one preferred by ; * Miss Paulina Scott should be read over.

According to Miss Scott, she first made the acquaintsuce of accused in Oxford-street on March ; 22, when he introduced himself as Lord Someone, whose name she had forfotten, ahiii said he was staying at the Hyde ark .Rota!. When he arrived on » visit to her i;i'.vi day he said he could not stay long, as he had to attend the House of Lords, He said hi! wanted to make Tier a present, and drew tip a list of clothes she was to provide herself with. To provide Miss Scott with the necessary funds for the purchase of those articles, he drew up the following document, upon a blank sheet of paper - , ana carefully filiated it in an envelope:— , "Pay bearer £120 one hundred and twenty' pounds—sterling in cash. The Union Bant, Pall Mall. To Paulina Scott. Lord —-.»' {The signature was undecipherable) With this in her possession, Miss Scott announced that she was going out to luncheon. Prisoner said he would go too, but he had no money, his valet having forgotten to pert his cheque-book in his pocket. (Laughter, i Accused also asked witness if she would like a ring, and he "borrowed" a gold one from her so that he should know the sisse. Her watch, he ascertained, was out of repiir, and he kept that to get it put right. Accused aferwards looked at her purse, and took a sovereign of the 35s it contained from it. In Oxford-street prisoner told her to take cab to cash the "cheque,'* or the bank would be closed, and promised to send her some fruit and jewellery by five o'clock. Nothing ever arrived, and the "cheque" was dishonoured, the police being notified. Detective-inspector Ward arrested prisoner on April 15 for having robbed Miss Scott of jewellery and money, value £3 10s.' Beck deni that he had ever met Miss Scott before, but she insisted that he was ''the lord" who had stolen her property.* In cross-examination by Mr. Freke Palmer, Miss Scott said she gave prisoner her address because she thought he was a "lord and- a gentleman." Mr. Palmer: Never heard of not putting " your faith in princes!", (Laughter.) Although Beck did not wear pincenez when she met him, she recognised his face and his moustache, Mr. Palmer: By his moustache you were certain he was; a lord? Is thi're anything peculiar about him? Witness: He has got a distinguished appearance. You know he says he had never seen you before his arrest?— quite expected him to siy that. /; (Laughter.) - f / NOT QUITS SO GCXLIBIR. -After a second ladv had told a similar story of deception, a third ladv, whose name was given as " Grace Gnmnbell," next occupied the witness-box. In February last, said., she noticed prisoner, in the "arcade between Bond-street and Albemarle-street. W., and after leaving an office in the latter street he addressed her in' a very gentlemanlv manner, and said he fancied he had met .her before. " Probably— probabh." responded ? Miss ; Campbell, who < is a ' Scotswoman, and has travelled a good deal. Beck remarked .that he thought he had seen her in Scotland j ' and i mentioned ,; that he was a great friend of Mr. Sassoon's, of Park Lane. He wanted her to give him her name and address, so that he could meet her one day and take her to lunch. "Witness said he must be careful not to say anything to . anyone, and he replied that* he, too, must not be known, because he was "*ome great lord." Witness} gave/ him/the address of a friend she was staving with, and the next morning received a letter from him, written from the Albemarle Hotel, where he said he had been Staying sprue months. He.called on her in the afte. }>h'just"a» she was finishing her luncheot. «id she saw him in the drawing-' room. //He; said he .had; a house in Abbey Road. St. John'siWood.-and a T lady friend; who had been staying with him had.}so offeneded him that,; she .would , have to leave. He said he would do everything •he could for her (witness), and noticed two d'»mond rings and a gold one on her hands. > He said ; they were not good, and he would get " ever so ■rt\ar»v/grand diamond Trap* from Streeter's. in-Bond-street," for her. He wanted to have one of the diamond rings for the size oi her finder, but i eventually took the gold one. "You ;don't.} trust / me," he said to Miss Camnbell; " I cannot say I do," she responded,} " because a gentleman doeim't ask a lady for a diamond ring for measurement. When I was engaged to be married, my fiance took' that with.» piece of string." (Laughter.! - Beck, further told her that she was to have a great many grand frocks, morning gowns, tea gowns, etc. They were to be a present, and, according to a list written out by -prisoner, were " much more sumptuous" than in the other cases, for their cost totalled £250. In this case accused wrote but a " cheque" on a sheet of noteoaper, and left it sealed, with instructions that it. was not to be oVieried until she reached the bank. Miss Campbell opened it. however, and, suspecting it, tore it tip without presentation. The signature, said witness, ■■•; looked like " Louis the living," but the solicitors on both sides'thought it mi«rht be Simpson. Accuser!, never returned the rinc, or sent any jewellery as !»'«..promised. Cross-examined : At no time did she believe the man. nor did she think the " cheoue" genuine. She was i anxious to get, th* interview at an «md as i 'jvpeediiy3.' as possible. Beck . was dressed when they met in a dark grey overcoat, a speckled ' grev morning coat, and patent i boots. : ; He bad a foulard tie. with a cheap pearl;bin;}/} (Laughter.) Witness .was certain of prisoner. She recognised his general anpesntncA. back and front, top and bottom. (Laugh* c\) At this point prisoner was again ('remanded..;;.'};'■ '' ■ ;/>;.. ■; v / r , ■v: ■}<-'•'.— • ..-...