EXTRAORDINARY CASE

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 7029, 18 January 1910, Page 6

EXTRAORDINARY CASE

PROMISSORY NOTES, RACES AND BOOKMAKERS. (TWO HUNDRED POUNDS GONE QUICKLY. PRESS ASSOCIATION. , DUNEDIN, January 1 7. A case possessing some remarkable, features came before the Magistrate’s Court co-day, when A. T. Chodowski proceeded against Lowry Appleson for recovery of ,£55, amount of a promissory note. After healing the evidence the Magistrate (Mr Widdoweon) gave judgment for plaintiff for the full amount, with costs, remarking that some of defendant’s stories were very extraordinary. Chodowski then proceeded against Enbena Haigan for JJS, alleged, to be due for goods sold and delivered. Defendant produced a receipt for ' the amount claimed, and Appleson, who was until recently plaintiff’s partner, admitted receiving the sum on behalf of the firm. Judgment was then given for defendant. In the afternoon counsel for Chodowski applied for an order requiring Appleson to appear and submit to, examination as to any debts owing by him. The Magistrate granted the order, and Appleson was examined at considerable length. Ho admitted receiving £2OO from plaintiff on December 20th and £l7 10s last week frorp another person, but said h© had only .£3 11s Cd left now. The whole cf the balance had been lost in betting on racecourses with bookmakers. Ho said he was quite unable to remember the name of any person with whom he made n bet or the, name of any horse on which he betted, but ho adhered to the story that he had lost about .£l2O in this way during the past three weeks. The balance had been spent in paying debts, but he was unable to give the name of uny person to whom he had paid the money. He had a little book at homo in' which he had made entries, and ho could have answered the questions from that. . The Court them made an order requiring Appleson to proceed to his lodgings with the Court bailiff and bring the book to the Court immediately. Appleson returned half an hour later and said ho had searched a portmanteau and elsewhere in the presence of the bailiff, but could not find the book. He thought perhaps the landlady’s children had taken it. He then said ho remembered having paid to each of two men in payment of debts —a tailor named Morris received .£■! and a man named Mackay .£1 for breaking in a horse and for trap hire. Th,e Magistrate interjected: Of course, I cannot believe a word this witness says. Application for immediate execution of the judgment was made, with a view to proceedings in bankruptcy and calling defendant to account. ’ The order was made as asked.