ALLEGED FORGERY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVIII, Issue 17873, 30 August 1921, Page 7

ALLEGED FORGERY.

jTROUBLE OVER TWO CHEQUES.

CHAEGE AGAINST YOUNG MAN

COMMITTAL FOR TRIAL.

Charges of having forged a cheque for £V on the National Bank of New Zealand at Auckland on June 23, having forged a cheque for £58 10s on the Bank of New Zealand at Whangarei on June IS, and having stolen two books, valued at 17s, from the Auckland Public Library were made aaainst Theodore Desmond Pouiton (Mr. Singer), aged 23. before Mr 5. W. Bundle, S.M., at the Police Court yesterday. Chief-Detect, ve McMahon conducted the case for the prosecution. Frances Hannah Donovan, clerk in the National Bank, said that on June 13 acrased opened an account at the Auckland branch by placing £12 to his credit under i the name of Esmonde Catero. He gave his I occupation as a music-teacher and his ! address as Princes Street. H e was given a cheque book, from which cheques produced were taken. She subsequently identified accused. Stanley Brainham Hayward, ledgerkeeper at the National Bank, said four chequas were drawn on Che account of £smonda Catero, leaving a credit of 12s od. The cheque produced was presented on June 23, and represented £7. Witness initialled it and returned it to the person presenting it. He could not identify accnsed- |

Leslie C. B. Dewar, teller at the bank. said the cheque produced was presented to him for payment on June 23. Between the time it had been marked bv the ledger-keeper and handed to witness the £7 had been altered to £70. He could not identify accused. The witnesses from the bank expressed the opinion that the writing on the cheque was identical with that in a book produced. James Torrance, Wellington, said he escorted accused from Svdnev to Wellington. The snm of £64 6s, "in notes, was found in his possession. Two books] with Esmonda Catero written on them, were found. These were the books compared by witnesses with the writing on the cheques. Accused denied all knowledge of the offence or the name written in the books.

George Henry Barton, labourer, Hikurangi, said that on June 22, in consequence of advice from the manager of the Bank of New Zealand at Whangarei, he examined his cheque book, and found that the last two forms were missing . The cheque produced was from his book, but the signature was a forgery. Accused shared a room with witness, and knew where he kept his bank book and specimens of his writing. Evidence was given by several witnesses thai on- June 14 accused tried to cash a cheque for £58 10s at the Bank of New Zealand at Whangarei. The clerk said it was after hours and advised him to try a business firm. The cheque was then cashed by a clerk in the Farmers' Union Trading Co. at Whangarei. Detective-Sergeant Hammond cave evidence that accused denied all knowledge of the forgery of the cheque in Auckland, but admitted having cashed the cheque at j Whangarei. The accused, who pleaded not guilty : and reserved 'his defence, was committed j

for trial at $he Supreme Court, bail being allowed in two sureties of £200. On the charge of having stolen from the Auckland Public Library a book on criminal law and one on matht natical problems, accused pleaded Knilty. and was sentenced to 14 da2/s' imprisonment. Mr. Singer said he was at present serving one month's imprisonment for the then of books from the Wellington library.

'Published by Arrangement.)