MONEY BY FRAUD.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 18994, 16 April 1925, Page 10

MONEY BY FRAUD.

MAN LOOKING FOR WORK. THREE MONTHS IN GAOL. [moil OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.] LONDON, Mar. U. At a special sitting of the Chichester County Bench, James Campbell Stone, a young man of respectable appearance, was charged with obtaining by false pretences, on February 28, 10s from Admiral Robert- I'hipps Hornby, of Lordington House, Stoughion, and 10s from Mrs. Ursula Weller-Poley, wife of Captain Weller-Poley, Holme Farm, Stanstead. C. E. Martin, footman, iu the employ of Lord Louis Mountbatten. of Adsdean House, said that the prisoner called at the house and asked to see first Lord Louis Mountbatten, her Ladyship, or the secretary. Witness told him they were not in. Accused told him he had been a lieutenant in the Navy and knew Lord Louis. He added that he had no moneys and had slept rough for three nights Ho said ho left the Navy as he was cashiered for striking an officer. Ho added that ho wanted to walk to London, and witness directed him and he then left.

Admiral Phipps Hornby said Stone called at his house and told him he had come over with the New Zealand forces to this country and asked for a day's gardening work. Witness asked him how it was lie wanted work, as he knew the New Zealand (Jovernnient looked well after their own people and sent them back. Prisoner said that after the war ho returned to the Mercantile Marine—ilis proper calling—and had been serving in the Commonwealth Line when he was stricken down with appendicitis and had been in hospital, that- ne had had pneumonia, and that he was still suffering from a wound in his side. He also said that money due to him for his clothes had been tent to the Sailors' Home at Melbourne, wild he hoped on getting to London to arrange with the authorities to cable for an advanco to him. Believing his story, witness gave him 10s to pay his fare to London.

Mrs. Weller-Poley said the man called, giving the name of Lieutenant Campbell. He asked for work and said he was an ex-service man and had come with the New Zealand forces; he had been badly wounded, and since the war he had been coming backwards and forwards on ships from Now Zealand, but that on his last trip he had gob appendicitis. He had, he said, come to see a friend at Rowlands Castle, where he spent the night, but failed to find him. He was down and out, and wished to get to London where Sir Joseph Cook would advance him money. Witness gave him lunch, 10s, arid a lift part of the way to Chichester, believing his story. Finally he was arrested, and in the Court, a number of previous convictions wore read, beginning from 1919. He had oorne out of prison at the end of January on completion of his last sentence. The Court sentenced him to three months' imprisonment on each charge, to run concurrently.