CAREER OF CRIME.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18635, 29 April 1924, Page 9

CAREER OF CRIME.

SYDNEY FRAUD CASE. MAN OF MANY PARTS. BRIEF STAY IN AUCKLAND. [niOM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.] SYDNEY. April 23. A well-groomed man named WilliaM Davenport Brown, a graduate in engineering of the McGill University, Canada, and late of Auckland and Wellington has advanced a further step on a career of crime. t , , Brown was sentenced to six months imprisonment for having obtained money by false pretences from Harry Roberts, of Darlinghursfc, with whom he had lived. According to evidence given, Brown told Roberts that he intended to tender for the electric lighting of the additions to Manning House, and required £10 to lodge with the tender. The deposit was not required, and Detective Comans took the matter in hand.

In the witness-box, Brown smilingly 'admitted to Sergeant Dennis that he had 'left Montreal in a hurry. In New York, in February, 1922, he admitted, Ho had ! been convicted for forgery. In Auckland he escaped conviction on a larceny charge bv making restitution, but was sentenced a month later in Wellington to three months' imprisonment for theft. In June last year he was sentenced to 12 months' imprisonment in Sydney for false pretences, and was released in February this year. s 'lt is a great pity, Brown," said Mr. Gates, S.M., "that a man of your education and ability cannot run straight." Brown was married about a fortnight ago, and five minutes after the ceremony took place was detained by Detectives Gallagher and Thompson on another matter. After inquiries, however, they allowed him to resume his interrupted honeymoon. The police say that Brown was an exlieutenant of the Royal Artillery, and was divorced by his wife in Canada in 1921. During his brief stay in Auckland ho is said to have mixed with "the best people," and even told some of his friends that he was to accompany the GovernorGeneral, Lord Jellicoe, on his trip to Australia. While in Sydney Brown claimed that he was a distant relative of the late Sir Walter Davidson, and posed as the Hon. Captain Brown. While waiting for sentence last year he formed an elocution class among his fellow-prisoners at Long Bay. He prepared eloquent addresses for each, cal- | culated to soften the heart of the stoniest Judge. His own, however, fell fiat, because the Judge had heard the other* first.