AMAZING FRAUD CASE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21296, 24 September 1932, Page 2 (Supplement)

AMAZING FRAUD CASE

THREE WOMEN AND A " MAJOR " STORY OF SWIFT- WOOING FIVE YEARS' IMPRISONMENT An amazing story of what followed a meeting in Winchester Cathedral between three American women tourists and a man, who introduced himself to them as " Major Cooper," was told at a trial on August 8 at St. Albans, Hertfordshire. Robert Arthur Cooper, the man in question, who is 40 years of age, was stated by the police to have been in prison for 25£ years since 1903. He had been accepted as the affianced husband of the youngest of the three women. The charges against Cooper were obtaining £47 from Mrs. Elizabeth Walsh and £3B from Mrs. Annie W. Fisher by •means of false pretences, and fraudulently converting these sums to his own use. Prosecuting counsel said that on July 2 Mis. Walsh, her sister, Mrs. Fisher, and Miss Kathleen Fisher were visiting Winchester Cathedral when Miss Fisher became detached from the others and later returned to them in company with Cooper, whom she had met in the cathedral. He introduced himself as " Major Reginald Derek Cooper, an engineer, employed by the War Office."

Cooper told the women that he was in receipt of a salary of £I2OO to £I3OO a year from the War Office, in addition to £BOO a year from the estate of his parents, and that he had £20,000 in the bank. He accompanied them to London and offered to put their money in a safe in the War OfliCo for safety. They handed him their passports, return tickets to America, an insuranco hook, and travellers' cheques. The next day ho returned the cheques, and suggested thaL the exchange was favourable for the conversion of their American money into English. They went with him to a bank, and Mrs. Walsh received £47 and Mrs. Fisher £3B. Proposal of Marriage Cooper said he had arranged about the oxchange of his car—a two-seater—and a new and larger car would be ready in a few days. Meanwhile he would drive them to Oxford in a hired car. On the way Cooper told Mrs. Fisher that he had fallen in love with her daughter and sh'e had accepted his proposal of marriage. Ho spoko again of the extent of his fortune, and Mrs. Fisher agreed to the engagement. i . Next morning Cooper said he ■would have to go to London and would return in the afternoon. Miss Fisher agreed to accompany him. He pointed ont to Mrs. Walsh and Mrs. Fisher that if they exchanged their English money back to dollars, the difference would pay for their hotel bill. He offered to effect the exchange in London, and Mrs. Walsh handed him £47 and Mrs. Fisher £3B. Cooper left Oxford with Miss Fisher, but, instead of going to London, he took her to Birmingham. As they did not return that day Miss Fisher's mother and Mrs. Walsh went to tho police. It was not until three weeks later that they again saw Miss Fisher. Mrs. Walsh was then slaying with an aunt in Ireland, when Miss Fisher walked in with her bag. The bag contained the return tickets and passports and insurance book, but no money. " A Terrible Wrong " On July 24 Cooper wrote a letter to Miss Fisher from Dublin, in which he referred to the " terrible wrong " he had done her. After further reference to his financial position and his efforts to get assistance from an aunt, ho wrote that ho travelled round until he found himself down to £2O. He was in Winchester, awaiting the return of his aunt, when he met Miss Fisher. Then his aunt telephoned that she would return on the 24th. Tho letter proceeded:

I could not possibly stay with you till then. Then I remembered I had your money in my pocket and. believing that I could refund through my aunt. I decided to mako use of it. The first thing was our marriage. It could not be in England, as 21 days are necessary, and I thought South Ireland would meet us. That period seems a chanter of accidents. First the cabin, then the 21 days' delay, but you repeatedly assured me it would not count with you. . . . It came to me that I was guilty of a criminal offence in using the money. . . . I got into a proper panic, but succeeded in hiding it from you. Then I set out 1.0 win your happiness before, the 34th, never realising, that instead of winning lasting happiness it was to be but a poor substitute —it could not last. ... 1 am deeply and truly ashamed of my conduct to you. and appalled that I am capable of committing it. This parting is my punishment. . . I am afraid. Miss Fisher, I have wrecked your life. . . With deepest regrets and heart yearnings, your most unWOrthy Derek.

Miss Fisher was in the witness-box for only tu'b minutes. She identified certain letters, which were not read, as being in Cooper's handwriting. Long Career of Crime At the conclusion of the case for the prosecution Cooper was asked what course he wished to take. He replied: " I have told you. I haven't had time to get my defence ready. There are certain witnesses to come. I have elected to put the matter to the Court of Appeal." The jury found Cooper guilty of false pretences. No verdict was taken on the charges of fraudulent conversion. A police officer stated that Cooper was born at Lancaster. Since 1903 he had led

a persistently criminal life. In the past 29 years he had been in prison for 25i vears.

Apart from a period of over 12 months following his release from a reformatory school, the longest period he had been out of prison was seventeen weeks, and the shortest ten days.

Jn sentencing Cooper to five years' penal servitude, the chairman of the Bench said: "You committed a brutal fraud upon women who were visitors from the United States, in circumstances and in a way which must shock even anyone who is used to criminal offences. You havo not helped us at all by your attitude, as far us I am able to see. Your suggestion of an adjournment appears absolute nonsense. We must mark with severity what we think of your crime.''