SWINDLING A SERVANT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 12663, 17 September 1904, Page 2 (Supplement)

SWINDLING A SERVANT.

STRANGE "PORT ARTHUR" SYNDI-

At Clerkenwidl Sessions on August 6 Arthur de Roya, aged 27, described as a clerk, was indicted for having obtained various sums of money, amounting to £124, from Miss Rosalie Cooper, a domestic servant. Miss Cooper, tho prosecutrix,, said she met the accused in Redcliffe Gardens, Kensington. They " walked out," and from time to time, upon various statements., he obtained £124 from her, representing all her savings and money she borrowed from her friends. He introduced a seafaring-looking man as a " Captain Bates," head of a secret expadition to Morocco. The prisoner told her that he was in the Tourmaline expedition to Morocco in 1897, and his photograph, showing him chained and in captivity, appeared in a book concerning it. Witness recognised tho following document as one the prisoner showed her, and it was read cut amid loud laughter: —

" Port Arthur. Syndicate. Health. Sport. Money for Sportsmen. Wanted, one or two gentlemen who will find a little money. Extract from the Dailv Mail: 'Touring far Trouble. Sporting Cruise Tempered by Bombardment. To charter a ship, engage, an-old blockade runner as skipper, and then to sail with the deliberate intention of Looking for adventures with the remote possibility of perishing in the attempt is distinctly a promising way of searching for new sensations. When the antecedents of Mr. F— —, who is responsible for the idea, are considered the matter looks even more exciting. He took part in organising the famous Tourmaline .gun-running expedition to Morocco.' ' The captain, I have engaged,' said Mr. G — yesterday, 'ran the blockade 14 times during the American Civil War, and his career throughout has been most thrilling. We are bound to get into some kind of trouble between us, though sport is our present objective. The boat is a barque of some 1300 tons, specially fitted out for comfort, and carrying a French cook; we shall take 15 sporting passengers at 150 guineas each. Once out of the bay we may call at points on the Algerian and Moroccan coasts for a trip into the interior for lion shooting. If the passengers wish it there will be a trip up the Nile after crocodile, and finally big game shooting in Ceylon and jungle sport irt India,. I should not be at all surprised if we do not wind up at Port Arthur, with a front seat at all the bombardments.'— to Mr. G — or Mr. A. De Reya."

A public-house porter who acted as messenger between the prisoner and Miss Cooper said he wanted him to become his servant. It was a good situation he had aver got the job. (Laughter.) Witness denied the prisoner's suggestion that he was on the black list or had been a witness in a divorce case. Witness had knocked about a bit and been "across the water." Mr. McConnell: What water?— Across the Thames. The Prisoner: Ever been to sea —No, only to Chel-sea or Batter-sea. (Laughter.) The prisoner in his evidence admitted having written to Miss Cooper as Dearest" and"" Darling," and sent her "kisses." He saw no harm in it, although he was a married man. The jury convicted' the prisoner. He had been convicted in 1895 of stealin jewellery, and had then obtained money by telling most extraordinary tales. Detective-Sergeant Fitzgerald said that for many months the prisoner had done no work. The prosecutrix would not pay off what she owed under three year's. The prisoner had followed up the sea for some vears. He was sentenced to # 12 months' bawl labour. The judge said it was a case of the grossest cruelty for his own selfish ends, and he had traded on her credulity and affection.