GIFTS FOR KING

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVI, Issue 10522, 25 February 1920, Page 8

GIFTS FOR KING

TICKET-OF-LEAYE “ PEER ” STRANGE VISITOR AT A NOBLEMAN’S MANSION. A man whom the London police say is cm tickot-of-loavc is believed to have posed as a peer and baronet, and obtained valuable articles, ostensibly as presents for royalty. Ho is James Douglas, although known by several aliases, and was charged at Westminster recently with a number of cases of robbery, fraud, and false pretences. Here is the etory as reported in the London dailies:— “1 have not twopence in tho world, and that is why 1 did it,” ho is reported to have confessed when arrested.

Among the accusations against him aro that, in the name of Vicomto Assoca, a Portuguese nobleman, he obtained an antique silver tankard from Messrs Mappin and Webb, in order to make a presentation to tho ox-King of Portugal. Ho was further supposed to have attempted to secure fraudulently a pearl necklace and candelabra valued at £ISOO, and it was when a representative of tho firm went to his house that detectives took Douglas into custody under dramatic circumstances.

Ho was arrested in fashionable apartments in Ennismoro Garden, South Kensington, the residence of the V’icomte, who is now in Portugal. Following on police suspicions being aroused. Detectives Markham and Ebsary went to the house, and, according to the evidence, found Douglas in the dining-room. Tho officers had ascertained that ho had negotiated for the tenancy, and obtained an agent’s order to view by representing himself as Sir Kenneth Douglas. ms DAIMLER OAR. Asked to show his credentials, ho said: “I -am Sir Kenneth Douglas, and I am taking this house furnished. I am waiting for my car. I could telephone to dozens of people who could tell you who I am.” At this juncture the assistant from Mappin and Webb’s entered the room to keep an appointment with regard to the ordered goods. Douglas was then asked about tho sfljver tankard, hall-marked 1679, which he had obtained fhe previous day from the same assistant. Replying to the Magistrate, Detec-tive-Sergeant Markham said prisoner had gone about with a hired Daimler motor-car, and imposed on house • and estate agents 'as a person of title. Mr Philip Conway, solicitor, said he was prosecuting for Messrs Barrett and Sons, jewellers and silversmiths, of Piccadilly, who had been defrauded of goods valued at £215. More astounding assurance than that of prisoner could not bo imagined. To the firm he represented himselt to be Sir Edward Boyle, Bart., who had rented the furnished residence of the Marchioness of Downshiro at Charles street, Mayfair. He said that the Marchioness required five presents for her jockeys at Newmarket, and made a selection of gold cigarette cases and other valuables to be sent to her house. HIRED A BROUGHAM. At that time it was in tho hands of estate agents, from whom he obtained an order te view. Ho arranged that, when the goods were delivered, ho should lie there. Accordingly, when the representative of tho firm called to see Douglas ho asked for Sir Edward Boyle, and the unsuspecting footman admitted him. Prisoner, with the greatest deliberation and nonchalenco, inspected the goods, and sent the messenger back to obtain another gold cigarette case. Following this success, on another day ho hired a pair-horse brougham for an hour and went to the prosecutor’s shop for more goods, which included a crocodile suitcase valued at £BS. When it was discovered that tho' prisoner’s equipage was only “a job lot,” the real Sir Edward Boyle, of Queen’s Bench Walk, Temple, was rung up on the ’phono, and the fraud was discovered. Prisoner was to a lengthy term of imprisonment.