A FALSE DECLARATION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 12660, 14 September 1904, Page 7

A FALSE DECLARATION.

AN INGENIOUS WAY OF RAISING , ,'■;';>';./ MONEY. ON May 6 last Joseph We3ton, in making a declaration before Mr. J. H. Hannan, justice of the peace, stated that he had lost some pawn tickets, though he had not, and for. this offence, set out upon the chargesheet as a "false declaration which would have amounted to perjury if given in judicial proceedings," Weston was brought before Mr E. O. Blomfield at the Police Court yesterday. Chief-Detective Marsack prosecuted - ~ ! J 1 Francis Conway, a second-hand dealer in Wakefield-street, said lie knew the accused, whom he first met in Queen-street on August 4. On that occasion the accused produced a couple of pawn tickets, and on representing that " he had not sufficient money to go out, and see his mother at the Costley Home where she was dying," witness bought them for la each. When witness met him again or August 6 the accused inquired whether witness had relieved the articles. Witness replied in the negative, and then the accused went away. On presenting the tickets at the pawnbroker's a ■ week later witness was told that the goods were not there, the accused having taken them away. Mr. J. H. Hannan, justice of the peace, was the next witness. Ho said that the accused made the declaration produced before him, alleging that he had lost the pawn ! tidkets. . . , The pawn tickets in question were issued by Mr. Lauri Solomon, who said that the accused came back on August 6 wanting to relieve the articles in pawn. When Weston explained that he had lost the pawn tickets, witness told him to go and make a declaration to that effect before a justice of the peace, and the accused did so. As soon as he produced the declaration and refunded the money advanced witness gave him back his good?, and when Conway appeared with the tickets a week later the goods were therefore gone. The accused, who was arrested by Detective McMahon, pleaded guilty, and was committed for sentence. J Weston was subsequently sentenced to one month's imprisonment for obtaining 10s worth of blankets, the property of Francis Conway, from John Olsen, pawnbroker, by means of false pretences. Chief-Detective 'Marsack explained that Weston on August, 6 also gave another, pawn ticket to Conway for blankets which he had pawned at Olsen s. As soon as he did so Weston went back to Oisen's, representing that he had lost the ticket, and Mi. Olsen, instead of making him sign a declaration before a justice of the peace, took him at his word, and handed back the blankets.