“FISH CEMENT.”

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1160, 25 May 1894, Page 19

“FISH CEMENT.”

Tho charges against tho brothers Thomas and James Eastwocd of conspiring with another man named Butterley, not in custody, to defraud, were investigated by Mr Martin, S.M., on Tuesday. A great deal of evidence was taken, showing that tho practico of tho accused, as already reported in the Times, was for one of them to represent himself to shopkeepers as requiring a largo quantity of “ fish cement,” and for tho other to como along somo time after* wards with some for sale. In somo cases tho unsuspecting shopkeoper purchased a quantity from him, which, of course, was never again enquired for by tho first-comer. Susan Jane Feek, who keeps a shop in Courtenay place, purchased seven dozen bottles of the cement, for which she paid 15s in cash and 23s worth of groceries. Elizabeth Edwards, wife of Richard Edwards, storekeeper, Adelaide road, bought eight dozen bottles for £3, but got a deposit of 10s' from one of the accused. Alfred Arthur Landall, grocer, of Hopper street, was afro tempted, but refused to deal. Mark Everton, grocer, of Wordsworth street, was even more fortunate still. His wife, Kate Everton, purchased half a dozen bottles from one of the accused, for 3s 9d, and sold them to tho other man at a profit of Is 6d. Eastwood No. 2 then left with her a deposit of 10s to induce her, it was alleged, to purchase a large quantity of the cement for him. Meantime, however, her husband came home, and he, having heard of the device practised by the men, not only refused to buy any, but when tho other man come along to see if the cement had been obtained for him, turned him out of the shop and kept the 10s deposit. Evidence was also given to tho effect that James Eastwood and another mail, supposed !to be Butterley, engaged a room at a lodging-house in Taranaki street, where Thomas Eastwood was a frequent visitor, and where they used a “ billy” for boiling glue. Both the accused, for whom Mr Skerrett and Mr Poynton appeared, wore committed for trial, bail being fixod at two sureties each of £36.