WIDOW TRICKED

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23020, 23 April 1938, Page 2 (Supplement)

WIDOW TRICKED

Dressmaker's Whirlwind on £14,000 Obta THERE was nothing glamorous or boastful about Mrs. Eunice Mary Rose, 35-year-old blonde dressmaker, as * she stood demurely in the dock at Kragston Assizes, Surrey, and learned that she would spend her next three years in penal servitude. „ .. . , . , ' „ Nothing of the honey-tongued trickster about her.. Nothing to recall the whirlwind years of wild extravagance described by counsel— extravagance made possible by the money of a hapless widow, whom she left prac tically penniless. ,

Eunice mary rose, in fact, might have stepped* straight into the dock from the draper's counter where she spent her early years. Her victim was Mrsl Edith Barnes, of Normanton, Reigate Heath, "a widow of charitable disposition," from whom she obtained by false pretences a total of £14,000. " The facts revealed by prosecuting counsel were astonishing enough, but it was left to Inspector Bryan to disclost! the-whole story of this dressmaker, who, until her mad Pj''ns e into duplicity., had lived 'an honest, hard-working life." . "Over a period of three years in connection with the present charges, stated the inspector, "it has heen established that Rose has led a life of gaiety." Glamour and Boastfulness Describing this life the inspector revealed that she bought six motor-cars, to the total value of £lßoo, which she subsequently resold; made an average payment of £ls a week ill wages to a chauffeur for nine months; hired streamlined taxis from Brighton to Hove to satisfy her one craving— travelling the country"; flew from Shoreham to Croydon, and from Croydon to 'Newmarket races; backed fairly heavily —and "somewhat successfully' —at dogtracks; and rented two houses at Hove at £l2O and £l3O a year, furnishing them both lavishly. a "In one of these houses," stated Inspector Bryan, "she resided with her so-called fiance and his parents, whom she led to believe that the house was her property. These people were un-

regret having been such a cheat, Jiaf, and thief to those who trusted mej! ; y It was left for Mr. Manley, in his speech for the defence, to seek an explanation for this amazing story. Frankly he admitted to Mr. Justice Branson, "I find it difficult to put for : ward any explanation which can cover all the facts. ;3j|

"The money was all too easily obtained from Mrs. Barnes," counsel declared. "When Rose had cm barked Voii this course of conduct she found she only had to ask to get more-and more, A start having been made, she was drawn deeper and deeper iinto mire." ■ : . - , , ' ' v . - Mr. Manlev also stated that Rose had fully believed that an aunt of her adopted brother was going to leave i<r about £25,000, but when the aunt died she received no money at all. Once in Sanatorium Referring to a police statement that after leaving a sanatorium where she was sent for tuberculosis in 1927, Rose refused to go back to her'husband, Mr. Manlev declared: "She-has not had a very happy life, separated from her husband, and stricken with tuberculosis." ' And so the cjjse came to an end, with Rose standing m the dock, pale, quiet; impeccably dressed in a plain brown costume and brown hat. -'

She listened to the Judge . . . "The story of your offences is a pitiful/ipne. "You got hold of a kindly person ind you used the kindness of her heart in order to enable you to rob her." She heard the Judge say, "It is all very well for you to be sorry. I hope you are." . ' , , • And she listened unmoved while he passed sentence of three years 1 penal servitude.

aware of the other house which she kept, and where she invited her male friends to cocktail parties. "There is no doubt that she was full of glamour, and full of boastfulncss when it was known that she met all these expenses." Inspector Bryan gave details of comSlaints received from people from whom lose had borrowed money, but who had not taken proceedings. Some of those sums were repaid. Directed, by Footsteps How Rose duped Mrs. Barnes had been told at the opening of the case by Mr. H. J. Hamblen, prosecuting. He stated that Rose knew she was a ladv of charitable disposition, and also knew of certain religious scruples which she had. _ „ t ~ "This woman went to Mrs. Barnes, counsel continued, "and said she had been compelled to go and see her, as she had seen the footsteps of both her own mother, and of Mrs. Barnes' dead husband, directing her to go to Mrs. Barnes for assistance. She also said their voices had told her to go. "Having obtained the sympathetic ear of Mrs. Barnes, she explained that she was in business and desired financial help. She said she was in touch with some big orders, and various highsounding names were used, such as that of Lady Houston, who, she declared, required expensive dresses and materials. jewellery

"Over a period of four years Rose was able to induce Mrs. Barnes, on 110 fewer than 46 occasions, to .part with various sums of money ranging from £3OOO to £27." Toward the summer of last year, Rose had run Mrs. Barnes "practically dry" of all easily convertible securities. She then told Mrs. Barnes that she must have more money, otherwise all the work for Lady Houston would fall tcf the ground, and she would lose all the money she had put into the business. As a result, Mrs. Barnes parted with jewellery to the value of £IOOO, which was immediately pawned by Rose. When she was arrested, Rose admitted the offences, and declared: "I