WHOSE WAS THE HAND?

NZ Truth, Issue 245, 5 March 1910, Page 8

WHOSE WAS THE HAND?

Letter Writing Extraordinary. PITgftUS APPEALS FOR CASH. Well-known People Victimised. PR9SHHENT SPOBratS U 1 COURT. SCUIXER WEBB GIVES EVIDENCE,

Ex-Policeman Charged with Forgery.

There was a "motley gathering," as young Bronson would say m the •'BeilE "oi New York," at the Wellington S.Bl.'s Court, on Wednesday last, when that interesting Irish individual, William Patrick BlcDernott, alias Arthur Threlfo, occupied the dock while the Chief-Detective formulated a number of charges against the accused. Interested as witnesses were William Webb, the ex-champion sculler of the world, "Roley-* Hatch, one of New Zealand's most prominent light-weight jockeys, a well-known medical man, a Roman Catholic priest, a publican, and a "publicaness," a pony trainer, a dairyman, and other well-known persons, lv all, there were sis charges of forgery and uttering against MoDerxnott. ■ Chief-Detective Broberg prosecuted, ami Sir Webb appeared for McDermott. The cases were taken together. The charges were as follows :— Forging tbe name of lloland Hatch to a document purporting to be a request for money and uttering the same to William Kyngdon Fyffe on January 19, 1910 ; iorgLng the name or H. Cutts to a similar document and uttering the same to "Oney" I-liggin? on January 21 ; forging the .name of G. Pcarse to a document and uttering the same to Gco. Nash on January 21; forging the name of Wm. Webb and uttering the same to Peter Mclntyre, on January 22: forging the name of Rowley Eagar to a' document and uttering the same to M. J. on January 28 ; forging the name of Hugh McDonnell to a document and uttering the same to Mary Quinn on January 31. Marshall John Donnelly, licensee of the New Zealander Hotel, Wellington, said that on January 29 he received a letter purporting to be signed by Rowley Eagar, an acquaintance. ...■■' This letter set forth that Eagar wanted £5 ; that he was stuck for money at the time, and that Carmont would call at Aitken's place for. the money. It also requested Donnelly to see bim at the races on an important matter. The Chief-Detective: The letter contained an envelope addressed to Charles Cannpnt, c/o Mr Norman Aitken, Cbar-lotte-strect, Wellington ? — Yes. Did you comply with the request m the letter ?— No, I did not. You do not know the accused, do you ?— No. Norman Edward Aitken, bookseller, of Charlotte-street, said that on the morning of January 29 last he found a note under his door announcing that Carmont would call and collect. Subsequently a few days later a boy called at the shop and left a note asking for any letters addressed to Carmont. The Chief-Detective : Had anything bees left at your shop ? — No. The boy left the shop without anything ?— Yes. Roland Tallis Eagar, a horse-trainer, residing at Miramar, said he did not write the letter produced, nor was 'it wriSten by his authority. He made no arrangement with C. Carmont or E. Lowe, the jockey, about the payment of money. He was acquainted with, them, but he had never seen the accused be fore. Dr. William Kyngdon Fyffe, residing m WilHs-street, said that on the morning of January 23 he was handed a letter marked "urgent," which purported to tie written and signed by Roland Hatch, the jockey, with whom be was acquainted. The letter was to the effect that Hatch had been requested by the son of Mr Mason, presumably tbe well-known trainer, to give Donovan, a jockey, tbe sum of £5. It was .couched m almost apologetic terms' and 'was of considerable length. The Chief-Detective : Enclosed m that letter was an envelope addressed to Mr J. Donovan, c/o Mrs Keeney, proprietress of the Thistle Inn Hotel, Wellington?, Witness : Yes. Did you comply with the ' , request m the letter I—No, I did not. I understand you do not know the ac-4 cused ?~-No, I do not. *' ■ . Roland Hatch, a jockey residing at the New Zealander Hotel, said, he knew Dr. Fyffe. He did not write the letter produced. He gave no authority , to anybody to write the letter. Re did 'not addressthe enveiope produced. .Nor did he write tbe note produced, addressed to Donovanand which was to accompany the liver. Helen Keeney, licensee of the Thistle Inu Hotel, Mutgrave-sfcreet, Wellington,, was the next witness. In answer to., Chief Detective Broberg, she said 'she> remembered .a boy bringing the note produced to the hotel about a month ago. George Nash, a dairyman, of HanotferRtreet, Wadestown, said that' on January 21 last he received through the post a letter marked "urgent." It purported to come from Mr G. Pearce, who was a ■friend of witness. The letter was rather •abject m tone, requesting Mr Nasb to enclose £3 m an enclosed envelone and to forward it to an address Witness did notcomply with, ■tbe request. The Chief Detective; Why not?— l had 'been at Trentham that day and saw Pearse and he did not mention the matter to me. . J You did Hot think it genuine ?— No', I did not. . . 1 George Pearse, manager of Mr John Barton's farm at Silverstream, where he., resides, swore that he did not write the letter, nor was any authority given by anybody to write the letter: He did not know the accused. Mary Quinn, a widow, who carries on a grocery business In Tinakori-road, stated that on February 1 she received a letter which purported to be from the Rev. Father Hugh McDonnell. (This letter, which was not read m court, contained a request for £10. It referred to private matters, and also mentioned that the Rev. Father would pray for his aunt.) Enclosed, also, was an envelope addressed, "J. Hickey, Clyde Quay Post Office." She did not notice if anything further was written on the envelope. The Rev. Father McDonnell v/as her nephew. she thought the letter was genuine, Her daughter doubted it. She, however, arranged with her daughter to send the money. She next learned that the letter was not from her nephew. She knew the accused, who had lodged with her for a month or so. That was about two years ago. The Chief Detective : Would lie have an opportunity of learning that the Rev. Father McDonnell was related to you 1— Yes, he would. • Annie Browne, wife of Annie Oakley Browne, and daughter of the last witness, said she resided with her mother, and she remembered the receipt of the letter produced. It contained an envelope bearing an address, while "Box 5" was written on the envelope. In oteilience to her mother's request, she got a p.o. order for £10, enclosed it m a letter addressed "J. Hickey," anil posted jft m Molesworth-street. That was on the same afternoon tbat tbe letter was received. She knew the accused. Hugh Joseph McDonnell, of Milani, a Roman Catholic priest, who was sworn

on his own Testament, deposed that the letter produced was not written nor signed by him, nor by his authority- He knew of no arrangement for the payment of money to a man named HTckey. s Mary Wilson, a cadet m the Post and. Telegraph Department, said that on February 2 she was on relieving doty at the Courtenay Place Post Office. She remembered two children coming with a letter requesting that any letters address^ cd to J. Hickey should bo handed over to them. One letter was handed over. Bazilius Debakker, a clerk m the Money Order branch of the Post and Telegraph Department, proved that the money order produced was presented for payment a& Lambtbn Quay. The man signed "James • Hiclcey." The witness could not swear, that tiie accused was the man. lie had seen the accused before- . • "Oney" Higgins, express proprietor, next, told his simple story. On January 21 he received a letter from H. Cutts asking for £2 to be sent to George Chapman, the jockey, who was to call for it at an indicated address. Incidentally, the name of Freddy Jones, the jocKey, was mentioned, and "Oney" 1 was advised to back Full fcJail, hut "for God's sake . to keep quiet abont it." The letter also contained an envelope addressed to George. Chapman. The second envelope indicated where the letter, was lp be sent. . • r. The Chief Detective: Knowing B. Cutts, and being familiar with his handwriting, you "did- not send the money ? — No. >' ;s Cutts was not available as a witness, and Chief Detective Brokers proposed to tender a statement by Cutts that he did not write nor authorise' the sending of the letter. This course, however, the S.M. could not permit, as lie considered it was not a sworn statement, and was therefore inadmissible., Higgins was further questioned, and swore that tbe handwriting on the letter was not that of H. Cutts. Catherine Mowbray, the wife of Jas. Mowbray, pastry-cook, of Lambton-quay, remembered a boy calling at her shop for letters, but she had none. This was about January 24. Peter Mclntyre, master of the s.s. Storanbird, which trades between Wellington and Wanganui, on January 24 received a letter purporting to be written and signed by William Webb, of Wanganui. The letter ran that Webb had missed the mail; that a train-guard had kindly consented to take the letter down ; that a train official could not carry any envelope containing' money, and begging for £2, which Mr West would expend m some necessities for a boat. The letter co».taip.ed an envelope addressed to Mr West, c/o . Geo. Meo, chemist, Lambton-sjuay. The Chic! Detective : I think you put £2 m the envelope and left it at Dice's shop ?— Tf es. The same morning that you received the letter?— Yes. From something you subsequently teamed, you reported the matter to the> poKetf?— Fes. Frank Ryan, a chemist at Mee's pharmacy, Lambton-quay> remembered Cap*. Mclntyre leaving a tetter addresssd to Mr West. Witness saw Mclntyre put 253 m the letter. Later the letter was called for by a boy, who banded witness the note produced, which was to give, beater any letters for West, who also announced 1 that he would call on Mcc on business. The Chiel-Detectrce : At the same time you gave the boy that letter .did yen give him another addressed to West?— ■ Yes. The same morning did you find a note m the shop I— Tes. The note , was . aixsost : a repetition. oT the one previously received. William Webb, professional , oarsman- and:' boat-builder at Waoganta, said he Knew .Mclntyre. He did .not send blot* not "write nor authorise anyone to write the letter produced. He made no arrangements with Mr West for tbe payment of money. : . Wißissn Richard Tfesmas, a boy of nine (jseazs, who attends - the Bottlcotfe-staeet school ' and lives with his mother at,. Thbrndoii, gave evidence to tha eSecfcv tbat he knew accused for "a nKHrtfc, andy .a week,, and a few days." The accused met ihjm on tile wharf, and gave him a note ton 'deliver to the boss of tbe WeUfogton. •HoteL The accused said if there tras' any answer to bring it back. There was no answer. 'The- accused gave him 6d. Ho-. pateo went to Mrs Mowbxay's shop for.; accused, who again met him on tbe*j vwirarf. There were no letters there. The* accused on this ■ occasion gtwe him 3«Lji The accused told him his name was Mir. West. The boy also told of a visit he; had made to Mee's chemist shop, where, he got two letters which fie gave toacicused, who 1 parted up 6d too the boy lor -his toouble. The Chief Detective : Have yoa iany doubt that he re t3ie man yoa ftetftnaes» isages fox?— Yes. ' ' - You have some dbnb* *— Yes. Is he the man you iweai messages tor?— Yes. . . , . ' . >' / Acting-Detective 'A. E. Andrews said hearrested the accused m Victoria-street on the afternoon of February 8. 'On searching him, witness found envelopes, notepaper, a penny stamp, and a fountain pen. After his arrest, witness searched accused's house, at 22 Karpri-road, and found six envelopes, two pieces of paper with writing on theni, part of • a torn letter, note-paper, a note-book, and some pieces of pencil. ■He had seen tue note produced by tbe witness Ryan. It was, written on a leaf . from the note-book found at accused's house. Tho envelope found on the accused was similar to four of the addressed envelopes found at accused's house, and similar to the exhibits m the case. On February 11, at the Terrace Gaol, the boy Thomas identified the accused from among a number of others as the man who had sent him the messages. On February 23 accused was charged with all the offences, but he made no reply. Sergeant Dart, of Wellington, who is m charge of the training- depot, said he knew the accused. He was m the' training depot from March 20 to May 14, 1908. Witness became familiar with accused's hand-writing during that time. The . witness produced a couple of reports which were m McDcrmott's hand-writing. Theodore Richard Hickson, accountant of the Bank of New South Wales, and Henry John King, a teller of the Bank of New Zealand, gave expert evidence. They had examined the documents m. the cases, also the police reports signed William McDcrmctt. Both were of the opinion that all the documents were written by ulic. same person. McDcrmott, who pleaded not guilty, reserved his defence, and was committed to tal-c his trial at the next criminal sittincts of the Supreme Court. Bail was allowed, self m £80, and two sureties ol ■ i:-10 each.