COINER'S SECRET

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22687, 27 March 1937, Page 2 (Supplement)

COINER'S SECRET

CLUE IN HANDBAG GIRL'S SUNDAY SCHOOL CARD POLICE FIND FORGING PLANT Just a trifling thing—a lady's handbag left unclaimed on a platform .seat at Grays Station—led to the unmasking of William Green, aged .'32, who was apparently living a reputable lifo at the Mount House, Horndon-on-the-Hill Essex, where he resided with his wife and thro> children. The statioumaster opened the handbag to find a possible clue to the identity of the owner. He found a Sunday school certificate bearing a girl's name ami address. Another thing attracted the official's attention. It was something more important. A little parcel, as he unfolded it revealed 16 new counterfeit coins, all wrapped in a separate piece of paper. Suspicions Aroused Counterfeit coins arid a Sunday school certificate in a handbag naturally aroused the stationmaster's suspicions, and he communicated with the police. With the clue of the certificate, detectives directed their coiurse to the Mount House, Horndon-on-the-Hill. Soon after they had announced themselves, Green expostulated, " I don't know what it is all about, but go ahead."' The officers searched the house, and found, in the words of Sir Shirley Worthington Evans, when prosecuting Green at Chelmsford Assizes, "all the usual tools of the trade of a counterfeiter." There were two plaster moulds for the reproduction of a half-crown and a florin, and some old pieces of silver, among 27 articles which were taken possession, of by the police. I am taking full responsibility for chat,'' declared Green. " Some of it, I admit, is coining apparatus, but some of it I use as a hobby." Exonerated his Daughter The detectives took into custody, not only Green, but his wife, Lilian Green, aged 33, their 12-year-old daughter, and a visitor to the house, Alfred Edward Carr, aged 36. of no occupation, and living in Peter Street, Canning Town. The girl—it was she who had left the handbag on the seat while she was making a journey to London—was acquitted in Grays Juvenile Court, where she appeared in answer to a summons. Green had exonerated her by saying she was completely ignorant of its incriminating contents. His wife and Carr were also discharged at the police court. Then when, as stated. Green appeared at Chelmsford Assizes, his strange past was disclosed by Detective-Sergeant Albert Edward Womb well. A native of Peckham, Green's correct name is Harold Victor Everett, and he has the following criminal record: 1921. —Bound over at West Ham for larceny. l!)2l. —At the same court, for receiving, four months' hard labour. 1925. —At the Old Bailey, 12 months for uttering counterfeit com. 192S.—At Sussex Quarter Sessions, shop-breaking. IS months. While serving this latter sentence Green was certified as insane, and was sent to a mental institution. From that he twice escaped, was recaptured, and detained there during the period of his sentence. After that, proceeded DetectiveSergeant Wombwell, Green was convicted of larceny and attempted suicide, and was ordered six months' imprisonment. Of a Criminal Family Then, at Maidstone in 1931. Green, for uttering and possessing counterfeit coin, house-breaking, and garage-break-ing, 13 other offences being taken into consideration, received a term or five years' penal servitude. " He comes of a criminal family, several of whom, have been convicted of coining offences." added the officer. " Prisoner blames his father, who is now serving a heavy sentence for forging Bank of England notes, for imparting the knowledge to him. "He was in possession of six engraving plates, and three engraving tools, and it was strongly suspected that he had these for making spurious notes." In extenuation, Mr. Lamb, defending, emphasised that Green had been taught to do this by his father. He learned his lesson while serving the sentence of five years, and on his release determined to go straight. He had driven around to various markets as a dealer. His own explanation of the coining plant was that he had been conducting elaborate scientific experiments in order to produce a chemical detector of counterfeit coin which could be sold cheaply to shopkeepers. " Few offences have consequences j more grave than the manufacture of counterfeit coin, and therefore it is punished with great severity," remarked Mr. Justice Finlay, in sending Green back to penal servitude for three years.. Green, clean-shaven, with light brown hair, and neatly dressed in blue serge, ; clenched his hands behind his back as j he listened to the judge's decision.