IN MAN'S CLOTHING.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVI, Issue 14045, 27 April 1909, Page 5

IN MAN'S CLOTHING.

life' MASQUERADING WOMAN.

f ; CARRIES ANOTHER WOMAN

p' iW "' ' | 0 extraordinary STORY. [BY TBJSGEArn.— rBKSS association. 1

DuNEDrx, Monday. &*•»»» excitement was caused " ac " fndav, when it. became known (hat a woL "masquerading in men's clothes had La apprehended by the police. Ihe tSmstances connected with the case are Ist remarkable, and the story is more like a romance than anything else. I'tjbo central figure is Amy Bock, alias Channel, alias Shannon, alias Vallane, IS Skevington, a small, trim woman, A ou t 49 years of age, born in Victoria. "he came'to New M in 1884, and has it is stated, been well known to the police all over the Dominion. It is alLed that early in .January she aimed ?J Dunedin, and obtained a situation with . Roslyn family by the name of Roy, as a domestic. The family went for a holiday anil left her in charge of the house. She is alleged to have forged her master s name to a receipt purporting to sell the furniture in the house to .and then called on a business man in Kaikorai \ alley, and succeeded in convincing him that the receipt was genuine, with the result that she gave him a bill of sale over the furniture, and got £30 in return. Next day she disappeared. ".'From that day until last Saturday the detectives have' held a warrant for her arrest or, a charge of obtaining £30 by false pretences. She appears to have proceeded to the Nuggets, and taken up her residence, under the name of Percy Carroll Bed wood, in a boardinghouse kept by Mr. and Mrs. Ottawny. With hair cut short, and dressed in the latest fashion, "Percy Redwood" soon became a favourite at Nuggets. He— no one suspected "Percy's" femininity—had plenty of money, a wealthy mother living at Hamilton, in the Waikato, and a nice gentlemanly manner. -» "Yes, I ', said a Dunedin resident, in speaking of him, "1 knew him, and he was an all right, chap. He had plenty of money, and if you wanted anything he was the boy to buy it for you. We went to the theatre with him, and he would have been quite disappointed if mv wife and daughter had not gone with him. My daughter once said she liked apples, and he had a box sent to her. I once said I waaWi like a paroquet, 'and he said he would get one for me from his uncle in Melbourne.' 1

"'Mr. wood "appears to have found in Miss Ott-away, the daughter of the rd it? keeper, aged about 32, a most desirable acquaintance. A friendship sprang up which ripened, and finally ended with disastrous results for the young lady, a ,wedding being celebrated on the 21st inst.

All this? time "Mr. Redwood" bad an abundant. supply of cash, and the Ottaways were suspicious at no time of their boarder. Mrs. Ottaway was more than satisfied "with his genuineness, because there was a letter written to her by his mother stating, "I have just had a talk over the marriage with my boys, .and am going to town to see my lawyer. We have decided to give Carol £3500, and I will give another £1000 for the house and furniture, as he wishes to live in Pnijedin.*' 'J-lhis was signed Frances Redwood, but apparently was written by " Percy Redwood " himself. Then there was another letter, bearing the print of the Auckland Drainage Board, and purporting to be from the secretary of that Board, stating that as he was retiring "Mr. Redwood" was to bo appointed at a salary of £7 per week. The representatives of two Dunedin firms also appear 011 the scene. Apparently "Mr. Redwood" had been to them with documents giving detailed accounts of sheep and horses owned by him in the Waikato, and one firm advanced £10 on the strength of supposed proof which was forthcoming, being guaranteed by another firm, and the firm which advanced the £10 forwarded a cheque for £150.

The wedding ccremonv was performed by an Anglican minister, a Presbyterian clergyman assisting. A number of con-

gratulatory speeches were made, including

one by a well-known M.P. The honeymoon was abandoned at a timely moment. A Dunedin resident, who was suspicious of the bridegroom's sex, spoke of his suspicions, with the result that- the couple did not leave on their proposed tour to Melbourne, for which tickets had been purchased out of his own pocket by a friend, who subsequently returned them to the shipping company, and had the money refunded. It is understood that it was "'Mr. Redwood's*' intention to give Mies Ottaway the slip at the Bluff on the way to Melbourne on the supposed honeymoon, and leave a letter explaining all. ■ Oil Friday Chief-Detective Herbert and Detective Hunt paid a visit to the boardinghouse in Dunedin where it was known Amy

Bock had stayed, and there they found a - woman's clothing. On Saturday Detective Hnnt hurriedly took his departure for Nuggets, and thai night arrested "Mr. i Redwood." Detective Hunt, calling at Ottaway's house, asked to see " Mr. Redwood," who came downstairs smoking a

pipe. "The game's up, Amy," said the detective, and Amy merely answered " All tight." She was brought to Dunedin this

morning.

-i The warrant on which prisoner was ari rested charges her with, about the middle of January, obtaining £30 from Arthur Ellis by means of [alee pretences. Acs cused, it is understood, has made a clean breast to this charge, and also other charges 03 which she is liable to be prosecuted.