BAREFACED FRAUD.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21141, 26 March 1932, Page 2 (Supplement)

BAREFACED FRAUD.

GAOL FOR GIPSY CLAIRVOYANT. WOMAN ROBBED OF £56. " DRAGON'S BLOOD " CHARM.. In passing a sentonco of imprisonment on a man described as a clairvoyant and palmist, the magistrate at Swansea recently remarked that ho had robbed a woman in a most barefaced manner. , An extraordinary story of credulity was unfolded when Clarence Costello Lee, aged 27, known as " pipsy Lee," was bcharged with obtaining £56 by false protences from Mrs. Edith Warren, wife of a newsagent. Prosecuting counsed stated that Mrs. Warren called at Lee's establishment and had her fortune read. Lee said he could see she was in difficulty, and Mrs. Warren replied that peoplo were spreading defamatory statements about her.

Lee then remarked that hu would take her case up, but he would have to get witnesses and engage a solicitor. He first asked for 30s, and at other interviews she paid £2O, £27, and smaller sums. Giving evidence, Mrs. Warren stated that after a few days Lee showed her a typewritten letter bearing no name, which, ho said, was from his cousin. He remarked, " Everything will be all right for you. When this is over you will be a much happier woman and much better off than you are to-day." He told her he had made inquiries and hed seen " tho party and her daughter." When Lee asked for £2 10s, for two witnesses Mrs. Warren said she refused untij ho gave her a valid receipt for the money she had already paid. Lee said, ' You can have your mcney back,' " added Mrs. Warren, " but I told him I wanted the case to go on. I had implicit faith in him. The next time I saw Lee was when he was in the police court dock." Describing one interview with Lee, Mrs. Warren stated she held a crystal and ho gave her powder to burn. , Cross-examined, !Nfrs. Warren agreed that Lee was not the first man she had employed in connection with her trouble.

Lee stated in evidence that Mrs. Warren asked whether he had a certain charm, which, ho said, was used by our forefathers, and was called " Dragon's Blood." He gave her some. When witness returned Lee told her she was better in mind, and she admitted she felt better. She lohl him she had tried a private detective who had had a lot of money, £6O or £7O, from her. She also remarked she was afraid of the police. Lee told her he would want £25 if he was to help her. He cut the cards, and described the woman, and Mrs. Warren reI plied : " That's right!" Lee stated that he had been a palmist ' since 1924, a profession his mother had 1 carried on before him. Mrs. Warren ad--1 mittcd to him that certain things he had told her were correct, including his descriptfci? of the woman who was causing the treble. ( ' He never represented to Mrs. Warren i that any of tho money he had obtained „ from her was required for a solicitor. The money was paid to him for his advice and 3 assistance. " I don't work for nothing," i Lee added. i A detective said that Lee first came to the notice of the police in 1929, when he was fined £2 for obtaining credit by fraud, i He had since been convicted at West Ham ? of obtaining £224 18s by false pretences, t The magistrate sentenced Leo to six months' imprisonment.